Rodrigo Berlim

Specialized in Furniture Design.

Rodrigo Berlim

About Rodrigo Berlim

  • Winner of the A' Design Award.
  • Specialized in Furniture Design.
  • Original Design.
  • Creative, Diligent and Innovative.
  • All Designs
  • Furniture
Velga Folding Chair

Velga Folding Chair

Furniture Design


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Interview with Rodrigo Berlim

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
I always liked drawing, my father had many tools and helped me familiarize myself with manual work, so years later I discovered industrial design and pursued a degree
Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
I have my own carpentry office where I produce my pieces manually
What kinds of works do you like designing most?
Chairs, are the most difficult pieces of furniture to manufacture
What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
My favorite material is wood because of its versatility, as well as being the only raw material that can be replaced in nature
When do you feel the most creative?
I feel more creative when I'm asked to design or build something I haven't done before
Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
First I focus on function and ergonomics, this step will determine the entire dimension of the product, then I look for aesthetics and materials to make it strong
What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
satisfaction, excitement, I like a challenging project, especially when I haven't completed something similar yet
What makes a design successful?
when it goes beyond the briefing requirements, bringing a simple and unique solution
When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
function and comfort, it is not enough to have a beautiful product without these two items
From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
create sustainable things that can be easily recyclable and avoid obsolescence
How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
the products with IA integrated, or multifunctions integrated in a net
Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
There are many hours of research to be able to create a new concept, in large part the ergonomics itself contributes to the format
What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
analyzing the designer's portfolio, if it matches the company's portfolio, with the objectives it intends to achieve
Can you talk a little about your design process?
I always start with ergonomics, the user-product relationship is the foundation of the project, then I adapt the functionalities, I try to align a clean and simple aesthetic, and finally I develop the details of the components
From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
Designers are always running after updates, everything changes daily, if you stay out of date for too long, it becomes difficult to keep up with trends
What is your "golden rule" in design?
develop a product that the customer comes back to talk to you about hiring again
What skills are most important for a designer?
creativity, the level at which you can imagine something, rotate it, color it, change it, move it, all in your mind
Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
I don't have a specific management, but in general when the mind is tired, it needs to rest, work on other things, take turns to continue developing
How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
It depends on the project, the complexity, whether you will need prototypes or additional technical staff, it is difficult to say about deadlines
What was your most important job experience?
It was the renovation of the wooden sailboat while I was a shipbuilding teacher, which transformed me into what I am today in terms of knowledge and skills.
Who are some of your clients?
I have everything from shipyards for boat projects, students and clients for residential furniture
What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
coffee machines, many options to prepare just by pressing a button, magical

Designer of the Day Interview with Rodrigo Berlim

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
I have been working with design since 2006, initially with yacht design, developing factory projects, then the boat project as a whole, over the years I set up a woodshop to build furniture for boats and homes.
How did you become a designer?
In my youth, I always liked drawing people and objects, at 18, I found a college that sparked an interest in using the talent I had learned, so I entered the world of industrial design
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
My priorities are function and ergonomics, having defined that, I seek to create something aesthetically pleasing and strong, I like the product to convey confidence that it will last
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
satisfaction, excitement, whenever I find something challenging to create
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
I always did figurative drawing, another important factor was my father was a home builder, so I had a lot of access to tools and manual work, it allowed me to be familiar with creating things, I always liked manual work, it made it a lot easier to build my own designs
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
My future plans are to be able to have my projects manufactured in series and benefiting several people
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
seek to leave the project, learn to use manual tools and manufacture their projects or prototypes, this experience makes project development evolve
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
who seek to learn the manufacturing steps, processes and procedures, when you know how to manufacture, everything becomes easier to design
What is your day to day look like?
I always go to my carpentry shop, organize, see the materials, design, develop projects for my clients and participate in the manufacturing
How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?
Trends are important, they always guide us towards innovation, it is important to be up to date, look for new manufacturing options, aesthetics, sustainable materials
How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?
When a design delivers a solution to a problem, it's not just about aesthetics, aesthetics are important to make the solution pleasant and friendly
How do you decide if your design is ready?
It's like a piece of art, you look at it, test it, feel it, present it to different people, collect suggestions, modify it and test it again, when you finally feel satisfied, it seems to be ready.
Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?
My company is small, I work with customized projects most of the time, always looking to deliver something durable, beautiful and functional
What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?
Mainly, it is a huge challenge, having a unique project in the world, something truly innovative, winning the award is consummating the fact that you manage to achieve innovation in your project, becoming a true designer, creator and trend influencer.

Extended Interview with Rodrigo Berlim

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?
I have a degree in industrial design since 2006, since then I have been working in the nautical industry primarily and producing other projects in parallel, I specialized in yacht design at the Instituto Europeo di Design IED in the yacht design course, years later I set up a carpentry shop where I dedicate my time to create furniture
How did you become a designer?
I really liked drawing, painting, creating, I have a taste for manual work, this led me to the world of design, creating products
What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?
At first I would have liked to have been an architect, but I ended up choosing design
Which emotions do you feel when designing?
I like designing boats and their interiors, but when it comes to furniture, chairs are what attract me the most.
What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?
just the computer is not enough to create something, getting involved with production and processes are fundamental to understanding how to transform materials into the product you want
What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?
A great designer is always thinking ahead, beyond expectations, seeking results in the best possible and objective way.
What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?
design has to function in function, meet needs in general, aesthetics, function, ergonomics, market, sustainability, technology, and when you achieve all of this but in the simplest way possible you have a great design, simplicity is great
You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?
a good design is never easily discarded, we create attachment, as it probably meets our needs, and normally you use it until you can no longer use it
How do you decide if your design is ready?
no one in specific, but when it comes to furniture, I like Scandinavian and Japanese design
What is your biggest design work?
no specific design, I like everything that pleases me visually, I appreciate when the human-product interaction works perfectly
Who is your favourite designer?
today is the Velga folding chair, The fact that the jury chose it tells me that it's the best piece I've done

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