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Interview with Darren Pirono |
Home > Designer Interviews > Darren Pirono |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Darren Pirono (DP) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Darren Pirono by clicking here.
FS: 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?
DP: I studied and received my Architecture and Environmental Degree at the University of California Berkeley in 2019 and then pursued and received my Master of Construction Management degree from the University of Southern California Los Angeles in 2021. I chose to become a designer myself. I decided to become a designer because I believe it is my calling. Through the spatial quality I created, I could help make positive changes for my clients, resolve their needs and struggles, and create harmonious surroundings.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
DP: Established in 2020, upper room collaborative studio provides architecture and interior design service, where they focuses on residential, commercial, and hospitality projects. Our studio focuses on contemporary style simplicity with timeless and coherent design characteristics, where the design acts as a canvas that allows a custom environment for our occupants to express their life on their dwelling fabrics. We combine natural elements, cultural incorporation, materials, collaborations with occupants, and our partner's values and vision to create a built narrative through iterations of research and developments.
FS: What is "design" for you?
DP: Design is to provide others with a solution by composing spaces with things that are accessible from our surroundings.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
DP: Anything Architectural and Interior designs, also a product that aids them.
FS: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
DP: Many designs have been my favorite, but most are Japanese; one is One Central Park Apartment, designed by Hiroshi Sugimoto. It's a tranquil Japanese-inspired space. The space is clean and straightforward, with just enough furniture or artwork to splash the spaces without making them plain or chaotic. The space has a poetic design and connects one place to another, like a storybook. Its precision and details are an excellent example of Japanese craftsmanship and a great mutualism between the designers, clients, and contractors.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
DP: I designed a small 3-bedroom apartment suite in Northern Jakarta.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
DP: I like to play between Wood, Glass, Metal, and anything kinetic.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
DP: I feel most creative, mainly during my relaxation time before sleep or leisure. I then make a quick sketch whenever the opportunity arises and use it for design ideas during office hours.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
DP: In architecture and interior design, we must go through and solve all design aspects during the process, as they are all interconnected and affect each other.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
DP: I don't know the exact word, but it is a mixed feeling of thrilled, excited, nervous, and a bit of adrenaline rush.
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
DP: Of course, I would feel delighted and relieved. I then translated that into Thanksgiving.
FS: What makes a design successful?
DP: When the design focuses more on tackling all aspects of the design problems, all parties are satisfied with and make an impact on the society, environment, and places it is built. The most important is when the design is less about you than others.
FS: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
DP: As designers, we should create, educate, and maintain our designs so that they do not harm society and the environment in which they are placed.
FS: 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?
DP: My designs are heavily influenced by simple geometry and Japanese craftsmanship. The design should act as a canvas to accommodate the client's needs; It should not have overpowered them. When beginning a design, a detailed interview with a client is essential as it will shape the final design product.
FS: 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?
DP: I live in Jakarta, Indonesia. The cultural heritage heavily affects my design process; aside from traditional culture, the world culture brought here also plays a big role. The pros are the chance is significant as it is a growing metropolis. The cons are that design services are still undervalued.
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
DP: I started with prayer and self-bible study and began working out on some days. I went to the office, followed up on work, discussed internal meetings, and then periodically attended client meetings and site visits on a project. I went home, had some time with my family, refreshed for a while, and ended my day with a short Thanksgiving prayer before going to sleep.
FS: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
DP: I would suggest they find their design purpose and start walking the process with God. They should enjoy and work wholeheartedly in every stage of the design life, starting from school and ending in the professional phase, as all of the phases are blessings in this life.
FS: What is your "golden rule" in design?
DP: In everything you design, do it as if it is for God!
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
DP: Any management, especially time management, and communication with all parties involved.
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
DP: To accommodate the design process's needs, I use PCs that support SketchUp, Cad Software, Lumion, and Adobe Software, as well as large, expensive, well-composed books by famous architecture and interior designers.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
DP: Schedule and Time Management are essential. Be disciplined and set a designated time when it is time to rest—you have to sleep—and when it is time to design, start to design.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
DP: It varies. Because each project has different needs, challenges, sizes, and uniqueness. Transparency in communication with all parties is critical to maintaining a good project delivery schedule.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
DP: The most critical Job Experience is actually outside the Job Experience. It is when you learn from people by interacting or observing how people work and behave. This adds a lot of unteachable experiences.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
DP: My Clients vary, ranging from Private Clients to Property Developers.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
DP: I work as a team. I started my architectural and Interior design company with my business partner and have single but talented designers. We must work on a design together, as we can conduct a peer review and give different perspectives and feedback to enhance the project. Working with Clients, Vendors, and Contractors is also a form of teamwork.
FS: How can people contact you?
DP: Reach me through my Company's Instagram account: Upper Room Collaborative Studio @upperroom_studio.
FS: Thank you for providing us with this opportunity to interview you.
A’ Design Award and Competitions grants rights to press members and bloggers to use parts of this interview. This interview is provided as it is; DesignPRWire and A' Design Award and Competitions cannot be held responsible for the answers given by participating designers.
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