We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Miguel Arruda ("MA").
Miguel Arruda, develops his work in the areas of Sculpture, Design and Architecture. In 1968 he completed his studies in sculpture at the University of Fine Arts of Lisbon and in 1989 received a degree in architecture from the Faculty of Architecture of Technical University of Lisbon. Starts working as a university professor in 1969, having obtained the title of Full Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Lisbon in 2003. Here he is coordinator of the Course of Equipment Design (1998-2006) and president of its Board of Directors (2004-2008). He has lectured on the theme of Design and Architecture in Portugal and abroad, namely in Italy at Federico II University in Naples and at the Polytechnic Institute of Milan. His design work has been presented at major international fairs, including Milan, Paris, Madrid, Birmingham, Kortrijk, Stockholm, Tokyo, Shanghai and New York.
Miguel Arruda Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Miguel Arruda.
Miguel Arruda Design - Golf Folding Chair
Miguel Arruda Design - Nuvem Decorative Lighting Solution
Miguel Arruda Design - Cork Block Sofa
Miguel Arruda Design - Cilindro Desk
Designer Interview of Miguel Arruda:
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?
MA : I have been in the industry since the 1970s, having recently developed with Portuguese companies Movecho and Exporlux furniture and lighting projects that won the most significant awards (A'Design Award, Reddot Design Award, German Design Award and Good Design Award).My academic background includes the courses of Sculpture and Architecture. I was the founder of the Design course in Portugal, at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Lisbon, where I was Full Professor in the area of Project Methodology.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
MA : My initiation in Design had the peculiarity of being a consequence of the Revolution of 25 of April of 1974 in Portugal. With the revolution I had the opportunity to assume responsibility for the artistic direction of a furniture factory (David Ribeiro), who with the revolution had been without clients for his old production and for which I designed a set of pieces destined to the population needs emerging from the revolution and that saved the factory and its workers making the production viable again.It was a very interesting experience both from the aesthetic, technological and human point of view, with respect to the labor component (of the working class) that was naturally influenced by the ongoing revolutionary process albeit these adverse circumstances it was made possible due to the quality and inovative products that created a new oportunity for the factory and indeed a new market for new products.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
MA : The fundamental priority is the function of the project and the material in which it is to be done.The study of the capacities of the chosen material must be deepened in order to be able to withdraw all its potential for the project. The manual drawing and the execution of models at various scales are of the utmost importance. The rendering already appears in a final part in simultaneous with the photograph of the models of the project.