We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Marko Stanojevic ("MS").
In design practice for 20+yrs as a cross-disciplinary multi-specialist. Experiencing diverse projects caused a spill-over of skills and thinking methods, gave a wider perspective and resulted with a holistic approach. With that base, developed Zero Design philosophy. Interested in visual storytelling or Narrative Design in all its forms, into cutting-edge technologies from a perspective of using them as a tool in addressing deeper emotional needs of advanced users, marrying them to softer, more profound values. Focused on issues of branding, micro-branding, self-branding, etc. in contemporary and future societies. Since 2007, concurrently with design practice, teaching design in academia.
Marko Stanojevic Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Marko Stanojevic.
Marko Stanojevic Design - Restless Chopsticks Tableware
Marko Stanojevic Design - Custom Hoodies Logo
Designer Interview of Marko Stanojevic:
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?
MS : Initially Industrial Designer, branched out into the fields of Branding, Graphic Design/Visual Communication, Product-Service System Design, supported over time with three Master of Design/Arts degrees in corresponding fields. Experiencing different projects caused a spill-over of skills, knowledge and thinking methods from one discipline into another, resulted in having a wider perspective and a holistic approach.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
MS : Zero Bureau is a creative collective founded in Europe in 2009, having a base in Hong Kong SAR since 2019. The nature of Zero collective is multispecialized, with branding design & visual communication at it’s base as a staring point, leaning as much on technology and commercial trends as it does on art. Zero Design approach is, simply put, about creating optimal value in the simplest way possible, regardless of the nature of the task. Disciplines, as they are viewed in the traditional sense, come into play after that step, and they are just about various ways of appropriate execution of the unlocked and established core value across the spectrum of media and platforms.
DI: What is "design" for you?
MS : Fundamentally, I would say it's turning nothing into something (with value for others).
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
MS : More complex the challenge and more demanding and difficult the task may be, higher the satisfaction. With that said, it is an ideal situation for a designer, in my opinion, is to create a project from the very beginning and then have a chance to nurture, develop and branch it out further over time. So I'd say, long-term multidirectional projects with many stages.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
MS : Next project, always.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
MS : As a 1st year student a friend told me about a logotype design competition for a local fashion house. Not knowing how much I don't know, I took the project on and ended up winning a 2nd place among 600+ applications. It was a big incentive to diversify design skills.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
MS : These are all means to an end. No particular preference.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
MS : When working on a self-initiated projects, no compromises and no excuses. Actually, I would rather say most honest then most creative.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
MS : Not overdesigning.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
MS : I sometimes focus so that I truly loose sense of my surroundings. There is pressure at this stage of course, a good kind, followed by excitement and relief once the core-value is found and project unlocks and unfolds.
DI: What makes a design successful?
MS : Recognition by others. Expert peers on competitions, wider audience on a real market.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
MS : Parameters are always firmly or loosely set by the client, or by creative team after research. They can sometimes be revisited on the fly, but for the most part they remain as they were before the design stage started. More specifically, three layers would make a good design in Zero Bureau approach - fitting the assigned context (appropriate, optimal), creating a clever twist/surprise (WOW) and the outcome appearing to be effortless (no-design design). More down to earth criteria such as feasibility, follow up potential and others are taken into account of course.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
MS : Same as any other person/profession. The world we all make together is the world we will all share.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
MS : Since I became a designer I believe I witnessed four so-called (r)evolutions. Creativity is still there just as much as ever, although many see it otherwise. I feel it is just reshaped, redirected, used and engaged in a different ways and over different platforms that might not have existed yesterday. We face a more complex and loose future with more possibilities and better tools. The role and position of a designer in the grand scheme of things has shifted and it will be more and more competitive for many reasons, more hard, but on the flip side more fulfilling for the ones who can keep up and it will create better outcomes for the users/clients/audience.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
MS : Actually, my first solo exhibition took place just recently in August of 2023 in Guangzhou, China. It was a self initiated project that evolved into an art-collection of 111 narrative visuals called Backstory, for this occasion turned into a street-fashion line of art-to-wear hoodies and t-shirts. Looking forward to doing it again as soon as the right opportunity presents itself.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
MS : I never had the need to find some kind of fuel or a secret sauce for what I do. It's just there. I don't think I would be interested to do anything else.
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?
MS : Clever is beautiful. It took me years to realize this. Seems very obvious now.
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?
MS : I have been fortunate to live a nomadic life, practically since birth. I have been educated across different cultures and systems, same goes for professional experiences. My cultural heritage is firmly European, but I feel it has been strongly expanded, perhaps even altered by various influences over time. For the last decade I have been based in Hong Kong and have mostly been engaged in SE Asian markets with a very specific set of requirements and expectations compared to the West, for example. Design-wise, I see this part of the world as having a still not fully used big potential. The key for this to happen, in my view, is stronger support and trust of the management, both in private and government sectors, aiming more at radical innovation then an incremental one.
DI: How do you work with companies?
MS : Zero Bureau nurtures something I call "collaborative mode". Whenever possible ZB works with someone rather then provide service for someone, which is to put it simply simply - deeper. Communication needs to be very much alive and not forced, I guess like in any good relationship. That is always best done in long-term, multi-project engagements when understanding can be built to a high degree with time.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
MS : Regarding the collaboration it is all about trust, shared excitement and common goals. When selecting a designer/studio, my advice is for the company not to merely judge previous projects at face value and ask for more of the same (which is often the case), but to try to understand processes behind the creations and look for potential. Design is about creating new values after all, not replicating old ones. At least that is how I look at, evaluate and select creatives.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
MS : A lot of thinking, a lot of sketching, a lot of sparring-sessions with the team and other people. I like to share and be judged as much as possible in the backstage, to make sure idea is truly ready once it is in the open. In general, it is a lot of doubt until there is no doubt. Sometimes the deadlines, best friend and biggest foe, can expedite this.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
MS : Awards :)
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
MS : I like to kick things off very early and I am immediately highly productive and get most of my important work done then. I do not shine in the afternoons without a big boost of caffeine.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
MS : I have been working in academia as my second job since 2007. I have met so many talented young people that truly inspired me, I hope I did the same for them. The hard reality is that their brilliance will not always receive proper appreciation. On the other hand, they will not always be as brilliant as they think they are, but they might get away with it. All of this should be taken as a learning experience. Be humble enough to leave the room to grow, but also confident enough to get things done.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
MS : As with any calling, if it is one's true calling, all these do not matter. It is a part of a package.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
MS : It is only finished when an outcome is out of the arbitrary zone and can't be judged on like-it/don't-like-it base, and when there is absolutely nothing left to add and nothing left to take away.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
MS : Nimble mind, curious spirit, brutal execution.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
MS : Specific tools are not relevant. Most important for me are long hikes actually, that is when answers previously out of reach pop up on their own.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
MS : I prefer to work on several projects simultaneously, I find it good to "reset creativity" now and then. I just mind the deadlines and work within those constraints.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
MS : It is so different from case to case. Again, it is based on the deadlines. This is the reason I really do not like the model of charging-by-the-hour since it is fundamentally not a good fit for creative professions. If the outcome is reached quickly or slowly does not necessarily reflect its' quality.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
MS : Is the project finished?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
MS : Actually, it was at an academia - working in School of Design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Other then meeting many great people and learning a lot, this experience unexpectedly spilled over to my professional and private life and made me choose Hong Kong to be my home.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
MS : I would rather say collaborators or institutions I worked with/for. Most notable names would be Siemens, Shiseido, Cassina, Tecno SPA, Extravega, JTI. Regarding academia, Politecnico di Milano, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Institute of Design, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
MS : I prefer working on radical innovation aiming for disruption, there is most room for creativity in those kind of projects. As a trade off, there is also a lot of ambiguity and uncertainty, but that is ok.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
MS : The goal is always the same - to expend the client base and to work on completely new challenges on as big of a stage as possible.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
MS : Not at the moment.
DI: How can people contact you?
MS : I can always be reached via contact section on my website zerobureau.net or directly by email office@zerobureau.net or through WhatsApp +852 56865826
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
MS : Questions were quite thorough, thank you.