Interview with Petar Zaharinov
Designer Interview
16 May 2011
I am actually an architect, not a professional designer. Three years ago I was not interested in product design at all. What made me interested was the invention of some interlocking structures that I wanted to utilize. I found in furniture design an appropriate field to do that.
I founded it with my business partner about an year ago particularly for the production of 1x3 and the other pieces I designed together with it. I am responsible for the product design and I am preparing our new collection at the moment which is also inspired by interlocking puzzles. We also try to apply these principles in other projects, exhibition stands, art installations etc.
It must be a tool for making people live in more stimulative end healthy environment, not a tool for becoming famous and rich.
Things that have some "trick" in them. Things that have "layers" and the more you look at them the more things you discover.
It was a building, not a product. 1x3, together with the other interlocking tables I designed, were the first products I designed and the idea about the company came after that.
My favorite materials are very traditional ones: wood, stone, ceramics. I avoid metal!
When I do not try to design a particular object but to invent a principle, the object appears after that.
Innovation, geometry, materials, structure....
Dedication. It is difficult for me to think about other things, all my thinking in concentrated on finding the solution, it is usually theoretically only one.
I am not an expert in this topic. For me the most important thing is to be honest with myself and design things that I really believe in, at least at the moment and to think about success after that.
I try to find more objective aspects. If it is healthy or not. If it develops some intelligence in its user or not. Is there some fundamental and important innovation that it brings or not.
I respect designs that change our lives in a positive way, not products that are funny and interesting now but you will not remember them in several years. There are always "layers" in the long lasting concepts.
And also some intuition. I think that intuition is something not subjective and it can really show me the right choice.
I respect designs that change our lives in a positive way, not products that are funny and interesting now but you will not remember them in several years. There are always "layers" in the long lasting concepts.
And also some intuition. I think that intuition is something not subjective and it can really show me the right choice.
To design products that are useful and designs that develop some skills in their users.
I participated in Salone Satellite in Milan this year - 2011. I exhibited an assemblable book shelf on the stand of Young Balkan Designers. It was a regional competition and the winning designs, chosen by Konstantin Grcic, were exhibited there.
The next exhibitions will be part of Mikser Festival in Belgrade, and Sofia Design Week 2011.
The next exhibitions will be part of Mikser Festival in Belgrade, and Sofia Design Week 2011.
I always try to find inspiration in fields different from architecture and design. I am interested in science, geometry etc. I also stop reading magazines and blogs while working on something. I want to see what I can do by myself, not to imitate someone else's works.
Constructivism. I am not so interested in style. It sometimes becomes a synonym of fashion which I try to avoid. For me the real style is a consequence not a goal. I must have a concept first and then look for the appropriate style
I live in Sofia, Bulgaria and I think the heritage, at least from the last twenty years, strongly affect my work in many ways.
After the Cold War the country changed a lot, not in a very positive way in most of the cases. The industry was completely destroyed and then privatized by people that did not really know how to develop it; as a result, the furniture manufacturers became very small and old fashioned in general. We lost a lot of knowhow and hi-tech now is like a chimera. This, together with some philosophical reasons made me design objects that are low-tech.
After the Cold War the country changed a lot, not in a very positive way in most of the cases. The industry was completely destroyed and then privatized by people that did not really know how to develop it; as a result, the furniture manufacturers became very small and old fashioned in general. We lost a lot of knowhow and hi-tech now is like a chimera. This, together with some philosophical reasons made me design objects that are low-tech.
I first invent a principle and then look for an appropriate application.
They are different. I prefer the days when I am trekking high in the mountains, I find a lot of inspiration there.
To be honest with themselves, not to design just to become famous and rich. Then, when they become famous and rich, they will be more happy and satisfied.
a 3D CAD software, scroll saw, jigsaw...
I have periods that I concentrate on designing and then periods for developing already designed products.
I want to use the principles I use in furniture design in architecture. I want to design a house without any metal parts and fixtures.
The best way is an e-mail.