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Interview with Rama Mendelsohn |
Home > Designer Interviews > Rama Mendelsohn |
Editor Frank Scott (FS) from DesignPRWire has interviewed designer Rama Mendelsohn (RM) for A’ Design Award and Competition. You can access the full profile of Rama Mendelsohn 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?
RM: I was first attracted to the field of design in high school, where I studied graphic design. When I went to college, I chose to pursue a degree in interior design. From the time I was a little girl in elementary school, I was part of a group that created the artwork for classrooms and chose how the classrooms were laid out.
FS: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
RM: After working for a lighting design consulting company for 5 years, I chose to open my own company, which has been in existence now for approximately 9 years. I wanted the freedom to create my own designs and be moved by the projects I chose.
FS: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
RM: I really enjoy working on projects which present unique challenges. I relish the opportunity to find creative solutions which benefit my clients. I particularly like working on hotel projects, because those projects provide me with the opportunity to come up with multiple lighting solutions.
FS: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
RM: While I have created lighting designs for many projects, I recently designed my first lighting fixture, which was created by a lighting company and featured in their catalog.
FS: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
RM: I work alot with LED lighting which I like because it provides more flexibility and design options.
FS: When do you feel the most creative?
RM: When I first sit with an architect as he/she explains the project, my mind starts racing with ideas.
FS: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
RM: As a lighting designer, I focus mostly on lighting. Of course, I have to take all aspects of design into consideration when I am determining the best lighting options for the project. This includes natural light, materials, space layout, furnishing, color schemes, etc...
FS: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
RM: I feel very satisfied when everyone is happy with the final product. And there's always the little kid in me whose heart skips a beat every time I drive by one of my projects. I still can't believe I get to do what I love every day.
FS: What makes a design successful?
RM: Good working relationships with all those connected to the project, i.e. architect, client, etc..., when everyone is open to ideas and we can discuss frankly and come up with the best solutions for the specific project.
FS: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
RM: My inspiration comes mostly from the project itself, and also from the architect's vision. I feed my creativity by traveling around the world and taking inspiration from different and unique designs from both old and new styles.
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?
RM: I live in Israel and feel that my approach to design is heavily impacted by my surroundings. Israel is a very eclectic country, where you can find people of many faiths, and different natural environments, i.e. sea, greenery, dessert, etc. in a very small space. I feel that exposure to all of these is my biggest advantage.
FS: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
RM: I recommend companies view the portfolios of designers, visit projects completed by each designer they are considering, and discuss with the designer their approach to design to determine that it will be a good fit.
FS: Can you talk a little about your design process?
RM: I start with gaining a deep understanding of the vision from both the architect and clients. Once I feel that I can begin to create my own vision, I come up with various ideas to pitch to the design team. Once a design is chosen, I identify the best materials to work with to carry out that vision.
FS: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
RM: Kate Spade candlesticks, a floor lamp and desk lamp by Artemide, a table lamp and desk lamp by Flos designed by Philippe Starck
FS: Can you describe a day in your life?
RM: Working for yourself, you manage all pieces of all projects on your own. My typical day is spent running from meeting to meeting, visiting project sites, speaking with clients, and designing.
FS: What skills are most important for a designer?
RM: Creativity, flexibility, humor, and LOTS of patience
FS: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
RM: AUTOCad, Photoshop, and Dialux Evo are the program I use to design. I gain a lot of inspiration from Pinterest, believe it or not. People create vision boards and sometimes it helps to see someone else's vision of a similar project to get you out of your head.
FS: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
RM: All aspects of the projects are time consuming, but they are equally important. I try my best to stay off social media during crunch time and try to minimize my communication by phone. This allows me to stay focused on the tasks at hand.
FS: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
RM: Completely depends on the scope of the project itself.
FS: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
RM: People most often ask how I come up with my ideas.
FS: What was your most important job experience?
RM: On one of my largest and very first projects, I was fortunate enough to be mentored by the client project manager. This helped me tremendously to shape my approach to projects.
FS: Who are some of your clients?
RM: The Atlas Hotel chain, ACRO Real Estate, Ofer Brothers (developers), Harel Insurance
FS: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
RM: I hope to branch out and work more in Europe and in the US.
FS: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
RM: I work on my own, but very often I feel as though I am part of the architecture team as we all work so closely together.
FS: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
RM: I am currently working on the lighting for a brand new, state-of-the-art rehabilitation center for one of the largest organizations in Israel providing services to both adults and children with disabilities.
FS: How can people contact you?
RM: I can be reached through my website www.ramamendelsohn.com, or by email at ramame@gmail.com.
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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