DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
: We wanted to create a modular sofa that was easy to reconfigure and offered maximum comfort. In order to provide stable back rests we took inspiration from the standard automobile headrest.
DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
: We wanted to create a modular sofa that is comfortable that takes on a distinct identity in each configuration.
DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?
: Our future plans for this sofa is to expand on it's versatility and unique functional elements.
DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
: The design process took almost three months. The initial concept was further developed to meet the needs of our clients.
DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
: MAXX was an inspired piece that developed from our need to offer out clients versatile and usable furnishing.
DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
: We are currently producing the sofa locally, however we would be interested in leasing the production rights.
DI: What made you design this particular type of work?
: Necessity drove the design of this work.
DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?
: We are always inspired by the works of other designers; for this design the words of Eames resonate when he stated "Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose."
DI: Who is the target customer for his design?
: Hospitality and residential clients.
DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
: MAXX is very versatile and is set apart by the some of it's details such as the ease in relocating the back rests and reconfiguring the sofa; the side tables set into the arms; and the recessed vases for cut flowers. The sofa also converts to a large and very comfortable bed. The bedding neatly tucks away under the seating including a mattress topper. We feel these are all features that are implemented in a unique way with this design.
DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
: The name is a reflection of what we feel the design offers, maximum comfort with versatility.
DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
: We started with basic sketches and developed autocad drawings of the sofa to have it built.
DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
: The most unique aspects, we feel, is the ease in removing the back rest and relocating them to create the chaise seating or bed, as well as the built in tables and recessed vases.
DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
: Nebojsa Stanic, my daily collaborator and business partner helped me develop this design. The design was then influenced and further developed after a prototype was built and implemented on a project. We interviewed the users to determine which features functioned as designed and which areas needed development.
DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
: This is a technologically simple design, that's what we feel makes it even more unique and user friendly, our clients respond very well to the ease of transforming it.
DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
: With all of our designs, we examine the proportions for both function and for aesthetic balance. This is a large piece of furniture that must convert to a variety of seating layouts, it had to modified a few times to maximize the balance of proportions in each configuration.
DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?
: Although it is a common understanding that design is an ongoing process, it is still easy to forget that there is always room for improvement. I sometimes get comfortable with a design after it's solved a problem, it's only after meeting challenges during practical applications that I remember that the design is never done.