Interview - Sungmy Kim

This week we present you Sungmy Kim, industrial, product and furniture designer from South Korea, currently living in Stony Brook, NY, Usa. Take a look what she had to say about her work, experiences and some small bits from her personal life. Here it goes:

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Have you always wanted to become a designer?

I was good at drawing since I was young, but I didn't know well about a designer as a job at that time. When I was a freshman in high school, I had thought that I wanted to be an astronomer because I was so interested in astronomy. Soon, I realized that becoming a designer is what I can be happy in my life.

Which project has given you the most satisfaction?

Ringo is the most. I was fully absorbed in user's needs and environments at first. Also, other teams in my company worked so hard for this because they were convinced of my concept and design. I think it is the reason that customers' satisfaction and sales performance of the Ringo are so high.

What types of books are on your bedside table?

These days, I’m reading “Design Activism” by Alastiar Fuad-Luke. I’m interested in appropriate technology and social change, and thinking about the role of designers for sustainable world.

What is the best moment of the day?

Well, when I’m in a hot bath tub.

What would be your dream project?

I can’t imagine the specific form of my project yet, but it can be so worthwhile that if my design is helpful to underprivileged people’s lives.

What type of music do you play while creating?

I don’t listen to music while creating. If I'm listening, I will be so into the music and can't work because I love listening and singing!

How important is craftsmanship in your design process?

I think craftsmanship is the most important factor to design even though a project is trifling.

Who is your hero at the moment?

My parents and parents-in-law.

Cat or dog?

Neither. I’ve never had a pet.

If you were a character from a cartoon, which one would you be? :)

Iron man! Smart, handsome, humorous, and has many clever iron bodies!

If you could do any other job what would you choose and why?

As I mentioned, I would be an astronomer. Or, I would be a travel guide or a guest house owner because I like traveling and meeting with various people from other town or countries!

Where could we find you on friday night?

Unfortunately, I would be at home because I recently moved to this town, Long Island, NY. I hope to be in Manhattan on Friday night soon!

What is the most inspiring pieces of furniture for you to design and why?

I admire Charles and Ray Eames and Finn Juhl as perfectly aesthetic furniture designers. Moreover, I like the bright ideas of Campeggi’s furniture.

Favorite blogs / sites etc.?

Facebook…?!! And I like my blog. http://meui-in-ny.tistory.com I’m sorry about that it is all written in Korean, but this blog is about my personal daily lives. After I made this blog, my family and friends don’t need to worry about me anymore.

 How would you define your personal work-life balance in terms of ratio (50/50 70/30 etc)

I recently turned into a freelance designer, so I’m trying to settle this issue.

What brings you joy?

Having good relationships with new people!

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Thank you Sungmy for your time and interview, we wish you a lot of new nice projects in the future. You can find her work on Behance

Wednesday Interview: Vladimir Pospelov

Hello boys and girls. Today we present you Vladimir Pospelov, designer from Saint Petersburg, who works in a different fields, from graphic design to industrial design. Here's what he said for our blog:

Have you always wanted to become a designer?

I never thought of what I want to become. It just happened. The desire to create something came out.

Which project has given you the most satisfaction?

I'm currently doing modeling car Ford 1932. It is not a design project. It's just to create a model and visualization. This is the most difficult thing I've done. I'm going to recreate the car to the each nut.

This project requires maximum concentration. experience and strength. If I finish it it will be the greatest thing I've done in 3d over 10 years. But if we talk about satisfaction, the process itself brings me cosmic satisfaction. 

What types of books are on your bedside table?

Dieter rams less and more
Judith Miller, Mid century modern
William Mortensen, The Model: a Book on the Problems of Posing

What is the best moment of the day?

Every day is a good day, because I have two hands, two legs. I'm not an old man. I have everything ahead. Life is beautiful.

What would be your dream project?

I would like to travel around the planet and taking pictures of landscapes.

What type of music do you play while creating?

I love liquid drum and bass. (ltj bukem, seba, flytronix, pfm, bigbud and etc.) I have a small collection of vinyl records of these artists.

How important is craftsmanship in your design process? 

Craftsmanship occupies a very large part of my work. Ford 1932 my project and it's a project conceived for leveling skill. I am pleased with the difficulties that I have to fight. In 3d modeling craftsmanship sometimes that is the main objective. People create complex projects just for the sake of their creation. Simply because that is difficult.

Who is your hero at the moment?

Strange but I can not call no-one special that name.

Cat or dog?
I have cat and dog )

If you were a character from a cartoon, which one would you be? :)

Coach John McGuirk :)

If you could do any other job what would you choose and why?

I would do woodwork. I've always wanted to make furniture. 

Where could we find you on friday night?

At home, in front of the monitor.

What is the most inspiring piece for you to design and why? 

I am inspired by the work of others.

Favorite blogs/sites etc.?
My Pinterest feed

How would you define your personal work-life balance in terms of ratio (50/50 70/30 etc)

I just live and do what I can. That's my life and not work. On ridiculous coincidence I get paid for it.

What brings you joy? 

Coach John McGuirk :)

Thank you Vladimir for your time and lovely interview. For more info about Vladimir, visit his web or Behance profile

Wednesday interview: Jorge Arbelo Cabrera

Today we present you Jorge Arbelo Cabrera, technical engineer in industrial design and post graduate in product conceptualization. He is mostly focused on industrial design, product design and furniture. Here is his answers for our blog, enjoy :)

Have you always wanted to become a designer?

Not always, when I was a child I wanted to be a forest ranger but since I remember, all my childhood I was always with a screwdriver, disarming all the stuffs of my house. I enjoyed a lot, the process of discovering the details of the objects like its engines, mechanisms, etc. But I started studying industrial design because it was the only engineering that didn't have chemistry. I'm lucky to work in my vocation by accident.

Which project has given you the most satisfaction?

The most important project for me is the "tubh chair" because it was the begining of my new carrer as industrial designer. Currently I am focused on industrial design, furniture and product design, but I started as a graphic designer. The tubh chair gave me the confidence to development my skills as an industrial designer.

What types of books are on your bedside table?

I enjoy reading books that can teach me something new. Now I am reading "A New Earth" by Eckhart tolle and a "Arduino programming" book.

What is the best moment of the day?

All the moments are the best. 

What would be your dream project?

Work in a huge workshop with all the machines, tools and materials that I could imagine and just fly with my creativity, without the pressure of time and money.

What type of music do you play while creating?

When I'm brain-storming, doing a research or I´m thinking in general, I prefer work without music so I can concentrate beter, but when I´m working with tools or drawing I listen to Jazz, rock or electronic music.

How important is craftsmanship in your design process? 

For me is the most important. The part that I enjoy the most in my job is when I work with my hands. There is a great phrase from Metropolis that says "The mediator between head and hands must be the heart!" and not the machine. I want to come back to the artesian way because nowdays it looks like if you want to produce a product you have to make more than 200.000 pieces in china, I believe that this idea is in crisis and we are coming back to the origins with the phenomenon "maker" doing you your own objects fitted better to your needs, for example with the 3d printers. I love the concept technology artisan.

Who is your hero at the moment?

My Hero is my Grandfather, who taught me to love handcrafts.

Cat or dog?

I love the dogs, all my live I have been living with dogs, currently with Lope

If you could do any other job what would you choose and why?

A survivor on a desert island, I think is a very poetic life, living easy in calm, fishing, building my stuffs with nature materials, sending messages in bottles and maybe some fights with unkonwn creatures.

Where could we find you on friday night?

Having dinner with friends or reading a book in my house. 

What is the most inspiring pieces of furniture for you to design and why? 

I don´t have one favourite piece of furniture, I like changes and I always do different things. I think that I can´t focus my inspiration in one piece, the inspiration has its own life and it's always changing. In my case the inspiration comes when I´m thinking of something new and different. Currently I´m studying arduino programing because I want to mix the electronic whith my ideas, I don´t know the solution but the way is very inspiring.

Favorite blogs/sites etc.?

Mocoloco, Designboom, The Creators project, Makezine...

How would you define your personal work-life balance in terms of ratio?

33/77 I spend more time in my personal life because is the place where I recharge the bateries and learn how to work with creativity and love.

What brings you joy? 

:) the joy comes easy, sharing with friends, living with love and didn´t putting off.

Thank you Jorge for this lovely interview, we wish you all the best in future projects. For more info about Jorge's work, please visit his web