Marko Stanojevic

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Marko Stanojevic ("MS") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

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.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

MS : I have always expressed myself visually, drawing, sculpting, making or creating something. Becoming a professional designer was a follow-up to what I was doing anyway as a hobby and for fun previously. The transition was pretty seamless for me.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

MS : Neither. I feel like I was always one, just not officially.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

MS : Lately it is mostly branding, due to nature of projects that come my way. I do aspire and hope to work with the latest and most advanced in hi-tech, but to be able to treat it as an at piece or poetry and focus on emotional aspects and opportunities.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

MS : Believe in themselves and stay humble and patient.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

MS : Depth. Meaning. Subtlety.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

MS : I came to my own formula over time to distinguish and evaluate designs. It has three layers, each of them complex in its' own right. In short and without going into details - CONTEXT, does the design fit it or does it create it properly, WOW EFFECT - does the design take an unexpected clever twist, is it a surprise, and finally does the outcome appear to be done in an EFFORTLESS manner, which is actually often the hardest.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

MS : If it is about investment, then it ought to be profitable. Now, this can be a straight-forward issue, but sometimes it is not. For example, a good design can raise the value and improve the perception of a certain brand while not being profitable itself. This may boost profit elsewhere and more then make up for the loss. Or sometimes simply reposition the brand to a more favorable position which can be enough. On a softer side, widely present and appreciated good design shows a more profound civilizational level of a society.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

MS : Anyone with a courageous and noble goal.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

MS : Grow Zero Bureau studio to its' full potential.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

MS : I never had any doubt if I am doing what I should be doing in life, I never compromised with the quality of any project.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

MS : There are many, but Achille Castiglioni stands out for obvious reasons.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

MS : All the designs that were seemingly a small thing at the time of making but have changed the world or perception of it. Like Juicy Salif or iPhone. I could also perhaps separate Ettore Sottsass and everything that Memphis Group did.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

MS : Working in academia as design educator, designing designers. I am very proud of their successes and achievements, sometimes looking from afar.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

MS : Think deeper today then you did yesterday, remain open minded and be ok to be insecure, let go of anything redundant that you may outgrow. Mature but remain curious. Draw a lot.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

MS : I never saw or considered another path for myself to be honest.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

MS : Thinking with a goal in mind. Focus on others.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

MS : Family and close circle of friends. Some of my teachers were truly an inspiration, recently my students as well.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

MS : I am not sure I am there yet. But to get to where I am now - people, communication, honesty, patience.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

MS : Lack of a road map :)

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

MS : In a way that shows the design was not done on a whim. It needs to be clear that every little decision is made for a good reason, in an optimal and appropriate way. If this is done correctly, design outcome moves away from the binary judgement of liking or not liking it and becomes simply correct, regardless of the taste or preference.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

MS : That is up to my clients really.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

MS : The goal line keeps moving after each project, there is no ultimate goal. It is truly about the journey for me, developing, learning, contributing more.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

MS : Quality, understanding, depth, value creation.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

MS : Design's role has been misstated in the last decades, in my opinion. Designers are as responsible for a better society as anyone else in that society. Design is deeply embedded and intertwined with many things, it is not a separate entity that can do harm or good on its' own.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

MS : A fashion line. I never did one before. Never expected to do one actually.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

MS : The ones least likely to be successful that managed to end up as good designs.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

MS : Management is a crucial part in initiation of good design and its life on the market. Improvement in that segment would show most, I think.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

MS : In multiple directions at the same time. All of them will most likely result in the same principle - democratization of design process or any type of creative activity, due to AI advancement for example. It will enable a wider base generating more ideas. Not all of them will be of value, but still it is within reason to expect there will be more good ones than we have today.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

MS : It is based on the deadlines set according to the client's needs for the most part. It is so different from case to case. 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. Whether the outcome is reached quickly or slowly does not necessarily reflect its' quality.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

MS : I seek the core value that will resonate with audience/clients and identify the optimal design opportunity in execution.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

MS : Clever is beautiful.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

MS : Mostly, design will reflect the times. It's a snapshot in history, perhaps in a way like any other form of art. Very rarely it becomes an instigator, but it does happen.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

MS : It is a tool that takes some difficulties or limitations out of the picture, sometimes even an enabler of more profound things.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

MS : Industry standard 2D and 3D software, nothing special. I do care about having a good quality monitor. On the traditional side, I still like to use my markers, small sculpting tools

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

MS : Depends on the context of the project, from being crucial to being irrelevant. There is no universal fit-for-all recipe.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

MS : Nothing. I hope they understand why it's done the way it's done without explanation or questions.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

MS : I still get an overwhelming sensation of admiration when I witness human ingenuity and true creativity of any kind. I never got bored with this or stopped being excited about it.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

MS : Yes, when it is a good match. I am flexible, I don't mind being in the passenger seat if I trust and respect the driver, don't mind driving either.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

MS : For some reason, it was the time and the place for me. My years spent studying and working in Milan, Italy seem to have unlocked what I do now and a lot of people influenced me, some of them probably without knowing it. It was the first time I was let in the backstage of the design world and as a result started to form my thinking and use it above pure instinct, talent or luck.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

MS : The End of Print, works of David Carson. Again, I think it was about the timing. Everything I was taught in school someone disregarded or shattered, and the projects were better for it. I was impressed.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

MS : Perhaps with clear focus on project quality and what will bring it about.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

MS : A brilliant mind from a distant future.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

MS : I truly do enjoy the awards. It is a stamp of quality given by one's peers, not much can beat that. I am not famous nor would I want to be. On the other hand, I wish great fame for the projects I take part in.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

MS : White, home, salmon, autumn, running shoes, Zero Bureau.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

MS : This is a hard one actually. I have many good moments, but a funny one does not come to mind easily. I had a lady biting my design at an exhibition recently and walking away, never understood why.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

MS : I enjoy new projects, the bigger, the better. Turning nothing into something. That's all I need to be motivated.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

MS : It was obvious I will be doing something along those lines. My toys were Legos, pencils and paper, toys I made out of playdough and other materials later on. I was always doing visual communication, without knowing what it is or thinking about it.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

MS : We become multiplanetary species and deal with issues too remote, great and complex to see or understand at this point.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

MS : Please visit and browse https://zerobureau.net/ and let me know what you think via email office@zerobureau.net or through WhatsApp +852 56865826 Feel free to add me at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markostanojevic/