Interviews with Mohammad Reza Khakpour

17 May 2019

Designer of the Day Interview

2 questions

Participating in a competition of high calibre gives you true feedback on your design and exact evaluation. Secondly, it is important to be part of a network that works and sustains itself, consisting of designers and…

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

I always design for making people's life better, including

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A' Design Award?

Participating in a competition of high calibre gives you true feedback on your design and exact evaluation. Secondly, it is important to be part of a network that works and sustains itself, consisting of designers and people related to design and also be open and connected with new business opportunities. International competitions are institutions that manage to bring designers, design lovers and business people together. Design competitions as such, are strategic and a precious milestone for the people in the field. Being Designer of the Day makes me realise the how important the day of a Designer is and how the way we see every day reflects our thought that is being transformed into shape.

20 October 2019

Designer Interview

40 questions

Design has always been in my blood as I have a connection with raw materials and sculpting. I love touching materials and create with my own hands.

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?

Design has always been in my blood as I have a connection with raw materials and sculpting. I love touching materials and create with my own hands. Of course, being an Architect has given me the knowledge to reach a deeper level of understanding and design.

Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

Arteavita is more a passion made reality, as it is now embracing architecture and design. Starting up an initiative that can open new doors and new perspectives is giving us the joy to continue our path on product design.

What is "design" for you?

For me, design is the inspiration gaining shape and altogether functioning perfectly.

What kinds of works do you like designing most?

I love sculptures and I love working with wood.

What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

My most favourite design has still to come.

What was the first thing you designed for a company?

A jewelry case.

What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

My favourite material is wood, by far the most beautiful and most natural material.

When do you feel the most creative?

When I woke up in the morning early at dawn.

Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

Functionality.

What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

An inner peace and harmony, kind of an inaudible melody.

What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

A feeling of fullness that is incomparable to anything.

What makes a design successful?

Three axes: shape, beauty, function.

When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

I would say as above.

From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

A designer has to be conscious of environmental issues and needs to bring better solutions and more beauty to everyday life.

How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

I cannot even imagine how design will evolve, but I am syure that the human grain will never stop amazing us.

When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

Last wxhibition was in Tehran, in an art gallery. My next exhibition will be in Milan.

Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

Design inspiration comes from my family, my kids, the love I give and receive.

How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

Industrial I would but by giving it a name is restrictive.

Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

I live in Greece, the birthplace of my wife. My cultural heritage is strong inside me. I am on a crossroad of cultures and i do belong somewhere in the middle within this Greek-Persian blend.

How do you work with companies?

As a freelancer, but I am open to new opportunities.

What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

Tell him what you need and let him/her to create.

Can you talk a little about your design process?

I firstly sketch on a paper my concept and the I start the design process by bringing it into reality.

What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

I can't deny my pencils are my favourites, I cannot stop looking at them.

Can you describe a day in your life?

I wake up in the morning, have a good breakfast around the table with my wife and kids, and then leave to go to my beloved office/workshop, a place full of life and love that I created for myself. When I come back home, rest, gym or playing football with my son.

Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

Listen to the society, feel the vibes and leave your brain free from any restraints. Just create!

From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

A positive is the passion you carry to make people's life better. A negative is that unfortunately you cannot always succeed in it.

What is your "golden rule" in design?

Less is more.

What skills are most important for a designer?

Empathy and optimism. A stable hand is working miracles too.

Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

My tools are my wood chisels.I have some special ones that I brought from the Middle East, from the masters of wood.

Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

I trh not to think of time; throughout the years I realised that time is so relative that you should let yourself free from ot.

How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

It can take anytime from two hours to a year depending on the complexity and tge research vehind the design.

What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

What is your favourite design?

What was your most important job experience?

The one I am having now.

Who are some of your clients?

We have designers, Architects and fashion designers loving our products.

What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

I am in love with product design for the moment, in particular handmade sculptures.

What are your future plans? What is next for you?

I am focusing on stationery supplies in particular in wooden sketching pencils for the moment but the ideas are infinite.

Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

My wife and I are partners in life and partners at work, I am an Architect and she is an Arts Manager so we are complementing each other in design.

Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?

I have so many ongoing projects I would need another interview to discuss about them. More is coming and will be soon revealed.

How can people contact you?

Send me an email, call me on the phone directly, text me on Instagram, facebook, send me a letter. Let me here from you in any way.

Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?

Tell me about you!

Interviews with Mohammad Reza Khakpour

01What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

02What positive experiences you had when you attend the A' Design Award?

01Could 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?

02Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

03What is "design" for you?

04What kinds of works do you like designing most?

05What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

06What was the first thing you designed for a company?

07What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

08When do you feel the most creative?

09Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

10What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

11What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

12What makes a design successful?

13When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

14From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

15How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

16When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

17Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

18How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

19Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

20How do you work with companies?

21What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

22Can you talk a little about your design process?

23What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

24Can you describe a day in your life?

25Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

26From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

27What is your "golden rule" in design?

28What skills are most important for a designer?

29Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

30Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

31How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

32What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

33What was your most important job experience?

34Who are some of your clients?

35What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

36What are your future plans? What is next for you?

37Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

38Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?

39How can people contact you?

40Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition