We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Camil Octavian Milincu ("COM").
Camil Octavian Milncu is a multidisciplinary person. He is an architect, designer, woodworker, and also artist. He believes that the best work one can do is from conception to the last detail. As a furniture designer, he executes his work, to control it to the detail.
Camil Octavian Milincu Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Camil Octavian Milincu.
Camil Octavian Milincu Design - Stalker Chest of Drawers
Designer Interview of Camil Octavian Milincu:
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?
COM : We are both architects, however, designing furniture has the advantage of offering greater freedom of expression.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
COM : Studio Minus was established in 2007, as an architecture, interior design, and bespoke woodworking (furniture and sculpture) studio. During the activity, the accent shifted from one domain to another, but several characteristics remained a constant in all the projects: coding of a meaning, sincere use of materials, taking into account the way that these change over time, addressing all the sensory elements in user interaction and using durable construction
DI: What is "design" for you?
COM : Design is a way of coding a deeper meaning in functional objects.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
COM : Furniture and mechanical installations.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
COM : Hard to tell, it depends on the context.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
COM : Interior furniture for a residential building.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
COM : Our favorite materials are wood and brass. In regards to technology, we believe in using the best suited to obtain a complex result, even if this means mixing traditional hand tools with CNC.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
COM : In front of a piece of good drawing paper.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
COM : Encoding a meaning in the image of the piece. Fine details addressing all the senses.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
COM : One of us tends to worry a lot. The other believes in magic.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
COM : Working hands-on on a piece is a way of finding oneself.
DI: What makes a design successful?
COM : When the piece functions. When the client understands the encoded message.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
COM : There is no excuse for functional errors or bad construction.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
COM : A designer can teach things using his objects as messengers. Pieces that are responsibly made and can endure could and should still be made today.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
COM : Design, for now, seems to lose focus and to trying to address issues beyond its field. Let's hope that the future returns to material, function, and the emotions of the user.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
COM : Inspiration comes from different areas. Mythology, nightmares, literature, famous cinema quotes.
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?
COM : Our style seems to be most of the time a mix of mid-century modern with sculptural accents.
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?
COM : We live in Timisoara, Romania. We were lucky to experience communism and the transition to capitalism. Thus came great adaptability and flexibility in finding a solution using whatever was close at hand.
DI: How do you work with companies?
COM : Most of the design work is one-ofs or small series. In this instance, a company as a customer behaves roughly the same as an individual.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
COM : Sometimes is better for the designer to select a company who shares his values.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
COM : Lamy 2000 fountain pen. 1227 Anglepoise lamp. Lie Nielsen #4 bench plane.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
COM : Good design should go much beyond an image shared over the internet.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
COM : Make it honest.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
COM : creativity, technical skills, communication
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
COM : paper, pen, pencil, design books
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
COM : Designing storage furniture seems to offer functional and formal opportunities in perfect proportions.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
COM : We plan on having an exhibition showcasing furniture and sculptures designed without any brief constraints
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
COM : We work as a team. Designs are developed using a mix of talks during breaks scattered across a day's work and a solitary stare at an unfinished piece.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
COM : We have Techne, an interactive piece of furniture which includes more senses in the design, like sound
DI: How can people contact you?
COM : via e-mail otiliaalexandra@yahoo.com, milincucamil@yahoo.com ore telephone +040752128647, 0040744694734