Interview with Mohamad Montazeri
Mohamad Montazeri was born in 1989, Iran. He got a Bachelor’s Degree and then a Master’s Degree in Industrial Design from ID Faculty of I. Art University of Tabriz/ Iran.
Designer of the Day Interview
2 December 2020
I studied industrial design at university. Before that, I worked in various artistic fields such as painting and music. The result of these experiences and my artistic activities in painting and music are several solo exhibitions of paintings and several albums of non-verbal music by me. I have always been interested in design and I wanted to learn it academically to choose it as my career. That's why I chose industrial design to study at university. I am very interested in design and it has made my life more enjoyable.
My childhood interest in art, on the one hand, and my passion for inventions and discoveries, on the other, fascinated me with design. I chose design with awareness and interest, and during my studies and work in this field, my activities and experiences in design expanded day by day, and now a large part of my life is spent on design.
In all the designs I have done, I have gained a lot of experience from different techniques, tools and styles, but I have never preferred one technique over another and I believe that all techniques and tools, if used in the right place, lead to the best results.
The design process is always fraught with challenges, and sometimes these challenges are enjoyable and sometimes they can be very difficult and tedious. For me, who is interested in design, all these difficulties are enjoyable and even double my energy to solve that challenge with more power and finally see the best result in my design. In addition, I believe that design means creating. I love creation. It is a great pleasure to create. All these feelings make me enjoy every moment of the design process and finish the project with the best result.
Certainly many of my personal behaviors, habits, and interests have influenced my career. For example, extensive study in various fields. Also, I am very interested in collecting and collecting them carefully, observing them as well as my Interest in various sciences such as psychology, sociology and economics are parts of my identity that have definitely influenced my career as a designer.
Gaining various experiences at work, upgrading my knowledge and skills to reach an influential position in the world of design.
The first and most important point was interest. Know the design and understand it heartfully, then you will love it and consider it a part of yourself. Only then can you succeed. In this path, you need a lot of perseverance, study and knowledge and gaining various experiences.
Everyone can be one of the most successful in their field in whatever they do. It is enough to love it, to be careful and diligent, and most importantly to adhere to professional ethics and principles.
Among my various daily tasks, I generally do some tasks every day. Things like studying and following the news and current sciences of the world. Because I believe the most important part in design is the up-to-date designer's knowledge. In addition, I sometimes pursue other hobbies. Things like taking care of my Bonsais, composing and recording songs from my music albums, etc.
I believe that every designer should find his own style and method. But this does not mean that he is unaware of the trend of the day. He can take the initiative and design consciously by studying every day and keeping himself up to date, which I design accordingly.
A good design has many factors and has had many definitions throughout history. But I personally see it at the height of the coordination between pure beauty and function. Each product can be an example of good design if it is consciously and effortlessly designed and does not deviate from its mission.
Design is a conscious process. So any activity that happens must be conscious and planned. During a project, I constantly refer to the pack list and plans made for that project and check each process of the design. What is important is that each step of the plan is completed qualitatively. The outcome of these plans and the quality of the product at the end of the project will show us whether the design project is over or not.
I cannot mention a specific design and product. Because I love them all equally in their own place.
I know many designers and I love their work, but I cannot prefer any of them to another. A better understanding of each of them has helped me to use their experiences and try out the secrets to their success and think more professionally.
Studying is the most important part of my daily life. In addition to design, which is my professional job, I also have hobbies that sometimes take me to their world, sometimes they are as meditation for me, and sometimes lead me to creativity. Composing is one of them. Sometimes when I need mental rest, I write a song or record a song. I always try to support younger and novice designers and give them tips and advice to improve and help them if needed. All of these things, both directly and indirectly, affect my design and my environment.
My work philosophy is teamwork. Work with high discipline and accuracy. Every moment of work should be accompanied by ethics, attention to nature and environment and maintaining balance in any field.
We are all, in turn, indebted to the society in which we grew up and live. We all owe the land and the environment. All of us, in turn, must dedicate our religions to society and nature. In addition to creating culture, observing ethical and professional principles of work, respecting nature and observing nature conservation standards, I personally teach my design lessons to younger designers and share my experiences with them and I love it.
The challenge is always attractive to me. I created products that competed with the designs of other designers around the world and were able to be selected and won. This experience is very enjoyable for me.
Interview about Doodlight Bullet Journal Laser Projector Design Interview
Design Legend Interview
2 December 2020
I lived and grew up in an artistic atmosphere as a child. Painting and music were some of my most important artistic activities before entering university and studying design. I had a lot of success in painting and music. In painting, I managed to experience different styles and held more than 10 solo painting exhibitions, and in music, I was able to play various instruments, and I also made several songs and music albums. Despite all these successes, with the full interest and knowledge I had of design, I decided to study industrial design at university. Today I have reached a level where I do not enjoy life without design.
I love design because I love to creation and I believe that the greatest human ability is to create. So what’s better than using this ability in the best way?
I have been interested in design since I was a child, and this interest grew over time, and finally, I entered the university with full interest and knowledge about this field and studied in this field, and now I am completely satisfied with the decision.
I am more interested in product design particularly digital product design, and besides, I am very interested in calculations and data analysis, examples of which are in parametric design and generative design.
Frequent and intermittent study increases knowledge and this knowledge is completed by gaining a lot of experience in the work. All this is possible for someone who has a clear plan for his future and has a lot of perseverance. But with all these hardships, I think it's harder to stay a legend than being a legend.
A good designer has reached a good standard and the result is quality designs and this is very good. But a great designer is beyond the standards of a good designer because s/he has more concerns that result from his/her different outlook on life and the world and it sets him/her and his/her work apart. The great designer and his/her works last forever.
Design is not just about form and function. It also has dimensions that paying attention to each of them, will improve you step by step. The more concerned the designer is, the more mature and complete the design. This infinite way goes as far as the designer has the understanding and ability to climb these steps. The more concerned the designer is, the harder his/her design process becomes, but the more enjoyable and lasting the result will be. This is a really good design.
Good design is actually win-win design. It does not harm anything and no one is harmed because it is a perfect design and it also perfects human life.
I have countless answers to this question. But in general, I respect any subject that can meet the need and solve a problem and make people more aware, and I would like to design in that field. The most important thing is to help balance the environment, the Earth and human beings.
I have many big projects in mind, each of which can change the world. I cannot prefer one over the other. I can only say that what they all have in common is helping to make better world.
Knowledge from extensive and intermittent study, interest in learning at any time and at any level of life, having a clear goal, perseverance and experience.
I am very interested in history and I study history a lot. Especially the history of design. In answer to this question, I must say that many people and movements have directly or indirectly influenced me to this day, but in the meantime, I have been most influenced by the period of modernity and the Bauhaus school as well as good design. I am very interested in the works of Dieter Rams and I admire them.
Every good design is respectable and lovable to me.
I have an important motto for myself, which is: " do not do something, or if you do, do it in the best and most complete way." I strongly believe in this statement and that is why I have tried my best to be the best of its kind in all my designs. For this reason, for me, all of my designs are valuable. I am very satisfied with all of them.
First of all, having an interest in design is very important. Good design requires a lot of patience and this patience can only be achieved by having interest. Perseverance and gaining knowledge through study and gaining experience are other important factors.
I cannot imagine a world without design for myself.
The definition of design in my view is the purposeful and conscious process of creating a value.
Many people have directly or indirectly influenced my life. But I cannot mention the names of people here because someone's name may be forgotten. These people are very valuable and important to me and I wish them more success and health.
Great interest in design, effort and knowledge that I gain through extensive and intermittent study.
There have been many obstacles that have arisen for me due to living conditions. The important thing is that with management and self-confidence and patience I was able to overcome them all. What is useful to me today is that potential obstacles are easily predictable to me, and this helps prevent them from being encountered.
I consider presentation as part of the design process and for this reason I believe that presentation is very important and necessary for a designer. No matter how good a designer's design is, if it is not presented correctly and intelligently, it will not look good and will not be well presented.
Many projects are underway. In general, they all have in common the simplicity of form and creativity in idea. I like good design and I try to walk in that direction.
In design, I reach a position where I can be more influential in life with my designs and help balance between the human, environment and the Earth.
Commitment to work and value to human beings and the environment is the most important expectation that all of us human beings should have from each other.
A better society depends on the greater awareness of the people of that society. A good design can raise the level of awareness and concern of human beings and consequently improve the quality level and standards of that society. The most important examples of these concerns are attention to optimal consumption, respect for the environment and the Earth.
I am always very sensitive and obsessive in choosing my subjects, and this makes me have a lot of excitement and satisfaction with my work, both during the design process and after finishing the work. I am currently working on three projects simultaneously that have their own places.
I have experienced this feeling in all my designs, but in general, the closer the design is to the goal of respect and attention to human beings and the environment, the more I am satisfied.
The increase in population and human needs on the one hand and the encouragement of consumerism due to the great thirst for financial maximization, has led to a dramatic increase in the uncontrolled harvest of natural resources and energy, as well as waste production. The destruction of the Earth means the destruction of our home. Technology is advancing more rapidly over the years, and I would like technology to be one of the factors in the future who helps preserve the land and the environment instead of destroying it.
I think the role of technology in it will be much more prominent than today. However, history reminds us that at times, this role of technology becomes so prominent that it will cause shock, and as a result, we will see the emergence of various anti-technological movements in design. But all this is temporary and technology will easily strengthen its place in the design and future life of people.
I can not specify a specific time period. The time spent for each project is different.
Knowing the subject is a good starting point. Studying, interview and any method of gathering information to understand the subject of design, provides me a good and very important starting point.
The designer is not a neutral human being. The designer is not separate from man, society and the environment. The designer must be up to date at all times and know what is going on around him. Design is not a pure science or art that can be formed in isolation. It must flow like a river and hit rocks, ridges, hills and heights along the way to stay fresh and successful.
I think both affect each other and complement each other. This is a cycle that is constantly synergistic. New trends are created from new designs and new designs are created in the context of new trends.
Technology plays a very important role in my designs. Maybe it's because of my great interest in technology and my extensive study in this field.
Depending on the type of project, it can be different, but in general, we can refer to 3D modeling software, rendering, presentation and simulators and data analysis.
All these are the main pillars of design and complete the design.
Protect the Earth.
I always get excited by seeing good designs and I enjoy working with them. The most important thing that comes to my mind is how I would design it if I wanted to design it.
Undoubtedly Elham Mirzapour. She has been the best business partner I have ever had.
I see the role of my colleague Elham Mirzapour much more vividly than others.
I am very interested in reading and spend a lot of time reading during the day. Every study has had a special effect on me and has helped me to mature. But in the meantime, I find books on the history of design and the study of art and design movements more effective than any other book I have read.
Gaining successive experiences by welcoming various challenges as well as up-to-date knowledge through frequent and intermittent study.
There are many additions, but the most important are Omar Khayyam, Dieter Rams, and Albert Einstein.
It definitely feels good. But as you get bigger, the human responsibility becomes more and more difficult.
Color: dark color palette, place: pristine nature, food: traditional Iranian and Mediterranean dishes, season: spring, and finally I must say that I love collecting glasses.
I do not have a specific memory to define in my mind right now, but I can say that every moment of my life is full of memories and events. Because I pay a lot of attention to the environment and the little things that others may not pay attention to and pass by easily. This has been one of the reasons for my success in design.
Seeing good designs, spending time in the heart of pristine nature.
Yes. totally. I have been interested in design since I was a child, and as much as I can remember I have been exploring my surroundings, curiosity, questioning, theorizing, and inventing. Going to university and studying industrial design promoted this innate interest in me.
The speed of technological progress as well as the speed of intellectual growth of society has increased very much and is increasing day by day. The future may have two opposing faces, both of which stem from our behaviors today. Or with the help of the very good tools and facilities, it progresses towards perfection and degenerates with pride and arrogance. I sincerely wish the best future for the earth and its inhabitants.
It was a comprehensive interview and I do not think there is no specific topic left that we did not address. Finally, thank you for choosing me as a design legend and this interview.
Designer Interview
2 December 2020
My childhood was spent in an artistic atmosphere. I have had various experiences in different branches of art. In painting, I experimented several styles (such as abstract, impressionism, post-impressionism, cubism, realism and surrealism) and held more than 20 solo painting exhibitions during this period. In addition to painting, I have experiences in music. I have a great interest in composing and as a child I entered the world of music playing the violin and then the cello, guitar and mandolin. I have tried almost all the living instruments in the world and I love them. As a teenager, I spent most of my time in music and recording music, and I managed to record two albums and a few singles. Before entering the university, I got acquainted with the field of design and decided to study Industrial Design at the university. So, I completed my academic studies in Industrial Design at the undergraduate and then postgraduate levels. I am satisfied with my art and academic background, and if I went back to the past, I would still choose the same path from the beginning until today.
I am the founder and director of Arena Design Studio and Arena Design Academy. At Arena Design Studio, we design products and to date we have succeeded in designing products that have won various prestigious international awards in design. What is important in Arena Design Studio is to pay attention to good design and environmentally friendly. Also, by holding training courses in various design departments, we try to teach design to students in this field and improve the quality of their knowledge and skills in design.
I am very interested in design and this has made design to have higher meanings for me. Design is an integral part of my life.
I have had various experiences in design. From architecture and land art to fashion design, service design and product design. But I am most specialized and interested in design of digital products.
I cannot mention a specific case. But in general, I can say that any good design, is my favorite.
My first design for a company was to design a digital product.
I cannot choose with certainty. Because each of these has its own importance and depending on the type of project the priority of their importance may be shifted from one project to another.
I have learned to increase the creative activity of my mind whenever I want. This has helped me to be able to produce content and ideas in the best way, even in the most difficult mental and intellectual conditions.
I think of design as a living thing. To examine a living thing, it is not possible to say which organ is more important. For example, the brain cannot work without limbs, or all of this cannot survive without the heart, and etc. The design is the same. Design is a living system, and it is a mistake to think that one part is important and effective apart from the other parts. Creativity and innovation are important to me, but they are not enough. Form and product function and many other factors are also important and influential.
Design always feels good to me. This may seem strange to you, but the harder the project, the more interesting and exciting it is for me.
It feels great. I can learn from the feedback and opinions of a large number of people about my work.
Successful design is a design that can meet the needs of the user in the best way; it should be environmentally friendly and maintains balance.
In different products, due to their different functions, priorities can be shifted, but some things are general and should always be considered. If taken into account, they can be one step closer to good design. One of the most important of these is adherence to design ethics, maintaining balance and sustainability in design. Other factors include creativity, good form, good function and compliance with standards.
The designer, like all human beings, is responsible for his environment. S/he is responsible for the Earth on which s/he lives, for the society in which s/he lives, and in a word, for the environment around which s/he interacts. The designer's mission towards this responsibility is ethical design. A sustainable design that is environmentally friendly and maintains balance. We must never forget that the environment is a trust in our hands for future generations.
In my opinion, the future of design depends on the future of mankind. In fact, the future of design is the future of mankind. Because it is the designers who with their designs make the path of human life easier and the next steps of human progress possible, and on the other hand, human beings cultivate their desires and aspirations in their minds and bring them to maturity to the stage of idea. What is desired for human beings today, will become a reality in the future, and this is the work of the designer. I said all this to emphasize that the role of the designer is very important in the future, even more than today.
Due to the Corona Pandemic, I have not held any group activities such as the exhibition for a long time, but my last exhibition was before the Corona Pandemic and about a year ago in Tehran / Iran. I have not yet made a decision for the next exhibition due to the Covid19 pandemic.
The range of my designs is wide, from service design to product design. Accordingly, the design methods in each project may be different from the others. So the source of inspiration in each project can be different. But in general, I believe that there is always the answer to everything around us, and we just need to look around and see them.
I always love simplicity and purity. I am very interested in modernity and then in good design, and I see the utmost beauty in good design. I like the simplicity and minimalism of a design and that is why I always try to make my designs look like this; the utmost purity and simplicity.
I live in Iran. In answer to this question, there are two arguments, first, that I personally do not tend to categorize my designs in any way, and I always try to make the products I design understandable to all human beings on the planet, regardless of nationality and ethnicity. Secondly, there is an important point in this, and that is to know each culture and taste and all the factors of a society and to give importance to them. A successful designer is a successful sociologist. A successful designer is a successful psychologist. A successful designer is aware of the current realities of societies, nations and tribes. This is my view, and I always follow these two together in my designs. Therefore, the country where I live, Iran, as a border and nationality, has no effect on my designs, but with full knowledge of the characteristics of the people of this country and other countries, my designs have become more mature and complete.
Project and design orders.
it cannot be denied that all companies are looking to sell more and be more successful in their markets, which sometimes makes them more conservative and naturally makes it harder for them to accept creative and risky ideas. This is an important point in deciding whether to continue their production and sales routine or to trust their designer's basic idea. Personally, I believe that many factors need to be considered for this decision. But what is important is to pay attention to the background of the designer and the purpose of such designs. To what extent and how has he observed the balance between reality and idea? Paying attention to this important matter can make decisions easier and help the designer in his task and the resulting project can be done successfully for both parties. A good way to get to know a good designer is to review his or her resume. I think designers who have won awards at numerous prestigious international competitions, as well as the quality of their work and designs, have a higher quality level and are a good choice.
The design methods I use in each project vary depending on the product and project. I love this flexibility and consider it as one of the keys to my success in my projects and designs. But in general, the common denominator of all my projects is paying close attention to idea and reviewing all possible solutions to meet the need or solve the problem.
Design in the fields of Lighting Design, Furniture Design, Digital Device Design, Interior Gardening Design and Interior Design is attractive to me.
Naturally, my days, like many others, are different. But in the meantime, some things are fixed in my daily schedule. Studying physical or digital copies of magazines, newspapers and websites to follow the latest world news, especially in the field of science, technology and design. studying book. Sometimes I write songs and play my instruments and record my songs. I like walking. I take care of my flowers and plants.
My suggestion is to read a lot. But the study and knowledge of theory alone is not enough, and the involvement of the designer in the manufacturing process makes the designer more mature and experienced.
Naturally, design, like everything else, has both positive and negative points. But more important than paying attention to the positive and negative points, is paying attention to the designer's view and thoughts towards design philosophy. For example, the boundary between imagination and idea and the boundary between idea and reality (turning idea into reality) are very fine. Sometimes during the design process, ideas that seemed perfectly efficient may show new aspects in the implementation phase (such as the construction phase) and overshadow the project. That's why ideas need to be tested. These steps are sometimes very time consuming and energy consuming. In this situation, the designer's view of the design process is very decisive. If s/he does not have strong management, high patience and great interest in design, s/he will definitely run into problems. This can be seen in other parts of the design process.
Adherence to ethical and human principles, up-to-date design information, science and technology, and keeping up with the latest world news, strong management and patience.
I know the importance of management skills (any type and form of management) more than others.
In general, depending on the type of project, I use a set of 3D modeling software, rendering, presentation, as well as data analysis software and simulators.
Throughout the design process, energy, manpower and time management are crucial. In my opinion, full knowledge of each of these topics and having experience can make project management successful. Personally, I have never had a failed time management experience because based on the experience I have gained, I look at projects more realistically, and this allows me to make the most of the time I have. Also it avoids possible time-consuming errors.
The times vary according to the type of project and I cannot specify a specific number.
The biggest question is about how my design process works. How do these ideas come to my mind?
I cannot mention one specific case. Each of them has its own unique experiences for me, according to its own challenges, and therefore each of them has its own importance to me. But, I have to say that they were all equally important to me.
Usually digital device companies.
I really like product design. Also, data analysis and processing and design based on data and calculations is one of my interests in design. In addition to these interests, the experience of working in a group and team also doubles the attractiveness of the project for me.
More progress in design and more introduction of my products and designs to the world.
I have had both team and group design experience as well as individual design experience. Each has its own pros and cons, but I personally prefer teamwork.
I am currently working on several design projects and I will probably participate in one or two of them in international competitions this year.
I am a member of all the popular social networks through which people can connect with me. My personal website is also available at www.mohamadmontazeri.com. It contains the addresses of the accounts of all social networks and other communication channels, as well as information about my projects and designs.
I think the interview was complete and you mentioned everything. Thank you for this interview.