We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative MARIE UNO ("MU").

Marie has a background in applied physics, which affects her unique geometric design with ellegance. As a scientist she has been awarded a global innovation award at General Electric regarding her invention on medical data science, and she has been successful as an entrepreneur in online education as well. Her interdisciplinary achievements and passion for finding new perspectives are what make her interesting as a new type of designer.

MARIE UNO Designs

We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by MARIE UNO.

Designer Interview of MARIE UNO:

DI: 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?

MU : My major is physics, and I was involved in the design of time-modulating magnetic field at GE. I have been in the aesthetic design field for 3 years now, and my designs are essential and logical rather than decorative which reflects my background of theoretical physics.

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

MU : Our company is called Monogoto, which is a design and strategy firm located in Portland, Oregon. The founder is the inventor of USB flash memory that everyone uses today, and has served as the Strategic Director at Ziba design for a long time.

DI: What is "design" for you?

MU : Projection of information to human emotion and recognition.

DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?

MU : Anything from products to software code and business.

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

MU : There are many beautiful designs in nature.

DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?

MU : Intuitive toy blocks called KUUM.

DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

MU : Things that are simple.

DI: When do you feel the most creative?

MU : When I come up with something I have not seen before.

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

MU : Meanings.

DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

MU : I feel focused.

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

MU : I feel surprised.

DI: What makes a design successful?

MU : When it represents something that nothing else does.

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

MU : If it strikes you or not.

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

MU : Interpretation of things to people.

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

MU : It is even more democratized, and will prevail via internet.

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

MU : The last exhibition was in New York. The next one can be anywhere.

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

MU : Physical phenomena, such as phase transition and optical interference.

DI: 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?

MU : I try to extract the essence.

DI: 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?

MU : I live in Portland, OR, USA. I am originally from Japan, and my design is affected by the rich nature of Japan.

DI: How do you work with companies?

MU : We have many clients mainly in Japan, and we travel back and forth between US and Japan.

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

MU : It is whether you believe the process or the person him/herself.

DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?

MU : I don't have an established process yet.

DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

MU : Stones, plants, books, windows, and doors.

DI: Can you describe a day in your life?

MU : Pretty busy using my logical side of brain.

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

MU : Just do whatever you want. A lack of ability can in fact be your advantage.

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

MU : It can make you a small person if you stick to your ego when designing, but if you try to express something beyond yourself instead, you can be humble.

DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?

MU : There is no golden rule.

DI: What skills are most important for a designer?

MU : Broad study.

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

MU : Nothing special, I use softwares that anyone else uses.

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

MU : I spend as much time as possible.

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

MU : It depends on project and the scope.

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

MU : They ask me why I do aesthetic design in spite of my background in science :-) To me they are similar in the sense that they are both beautiful.

DI: What was your most important job experience?

MU : Development of MRI.

DI: Who are some of your clients?

MU : Multinationals such as SONY and Panasonic.

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

MU : Minimal and symbolic, but impactful design.

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

MU : Business design and fine art.

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

MU : Sometimes as a team, but most of the time I work on my own.

DI: How can people contact you?

MU : Find me on SNS.

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

MU : Nothing special!