On social media, Aleksandr Misiukevich impressively creates cool objects out of mundane materials, such as a single sheet of paper and sticks. The results are low-key brilliant.
“I create physical objects that explore the relationship between material, form and function,” he says. “Working with a wide range of materials — from paper to metal. I strive to combine craftsmanship, experimentation and timeless industrial design in every project.”
Based in Georgia (the European country, not the state), Misiukevich is not a conventional industrial designer, but that bit of information is irrelevant. His path to design has been gradual rather than planned, he tells us in this week’s Q+A. He studied design at university and began his career as a graphic designer, but then gravitated to web design and, eventually, to designing and creating things that people could actually touch and live with.
In Misiukevich’s view, there is a through line between these various disciplines, different expressions of the same idea. “Design is design,” he says. “The tools may change, the materials may change, but the responsibility remains the same: to solve problems and improve people’s lives.”
Impressed with Misiukevich’s work, we reached out to him to get a better sense of what makes him tick, his inspiration and his philosophy on designing and making.
Good design should solve a real problem, not just create change.”
Aleksandr Misiukevich
Design Vibes: From our social media activity, you are an industrial designer. Is that correct?
Aleksandr Misiukevich: Yes, although I also work as a 3D visualizer. On social media, I present myself as both an industrial designer and a 3D artist.
DV: Can you tell our readers what your profession is and what you do for a living? How long have you been doing this?
Aleksandr: Professionally, I am a UX/UI designer. I’m 28 years old, and I’ve been working in design for the past ten years, ever since I entered university. Today, my primary work focuses on digital products, interfaces and user experience. At the same time, I spend much of my free time creating physical objects and exploring industrial design.
What I find interesting is that, despite working across different disciplines, I’ve never felt like I was changing professions. Whether I’m designing an app, a website, a lamp, or a piece of furniture, the goal remains the same: understanding how people interact with things and finding ways to make those interactions better.
DV: What has been your path to the profession?
Aleksandr: My path into design has been gradual rather than planned.
I studied design at university and began my career as a graphic designer, creating newspapers and other printed materials. After several years, I became interested in web design, which eventually led me to interface design and UX/UI.
I spent roughly three years in each area, but throughout that entire journey I was always drawn toward physical objects. I wanted to create things that people could actually touch and live with.
The bridge between digital and industrial design for me was 3D modeling. I spent several years learning Blender and developing product concepts before eventually moving on to real materials and real-world objects.
Many people see UX/UI design and industrial design as completely different disciplines. I see them as different expressions of the same idea. Design is design. The tools may change, the materials may change, but the responsibility remains the same: to solve problems and improve people’s lives.
In many ways, industrial design feels less like a career change and more like a natural continuation of everything I was already doing.
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DV: On social media, you are coming up with clever yet simple ways to achieve attractive lighting. Is that your focus or are you interested in other categories?
Aleksandr: At the moment, lighting is definitely one of my main interests. Light has a unique ability to change how we experience a space, influence our mood and shape the atmosphere around us. It is something we interact with every day, often without noticing it. Creating the right light for the right situation is a fascinating challenge, and it’s one I enjoy exploring. That said, my interests extend far beyond lighting. I’m deeply interested in consumer products, household electronics and wearable devices. I’ve always loved technology and gadgets.
What attracts me most is the possibility of creating something that becomes part of someone’s everyday life. Whether it’s a lamp, a device or a piece of furniture, I find the idea incredibly rewarding that an object you designed could be used by people all over the world. Because of that, I would say I’m interested in designing almost anything people use.
DV: Do you have a design philosophy that you follow in your work and life?
Aleksandr: I think that throughout all 10 years of my career, one idea has remained unchanged, even if I’ve expressed it in different ways: design must always be functional. Design should solve a problem. Design created only for the sake of design is either bad design or not really design at all.
DV: Do you have design heroes and influential people that you look to for inspiration?
Aleksandr: When I was studying design—and honestly, I still feel like I’m studying it every day—I was deeply influenced by Dieter Rams and his famous 10 principles of good design. You can probably guess that from my previous answer. More broadly, I’m inspired by people who make the world more comfortable, useful and understandable through their ideas. I always remind myself that if they were able to do it, then the rest of us can too.
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DV: There is a conversation we’ve heard from time to time about industrial designers not getting as much respect as architects and interior designers, even though their products reach more consumers? Have you ever heard that argument?
Aleksandr: To be honest, I haven’t really heard that argument before. Personally, I see these professions as closely connected. Architects, interior designers, and industrial designers all contribute to the same goal: creating a complete and coherent experience for people. A great product rarely exists in isolation. It lives within a space, and that space exists within a larger environment. The best results usually come when all of these disciplines work together rather than compete for recognition.
DV: What is your process for coming up with some of the ideas that you create?
Aleksandr: If we’re talking about my creative process, I would say it never really stops. I try to observe as much as possible of what is happening around me. I pay attention to how people use everyday objects. I notice the posters attached to utility poles. I wonder why the steps in a hospital staircase are a certain width. I pay attention to the lighting in a restaurant restroom. As a designer, all of these things matter to me.
Whenever I come across something that feels important or interesting, I start thinking about how it could be improved—or sometimes simply recreated. And while recreating something that someone else has already made, I often discover weaknesses, opportunities or possibilities to add something of my own.
I also spend a lot of time exploring materials. I am always interested in creating something useful and accessible from materials that are equally useful and accessible. I want to make things that are easy to understand and easy to use.
My Folds lamp is a great example of this approach. It is made from a single sheet of paper and wooden sticks. People immediately understood the idea. They understood that it was simple, affordable, and useful. They liked it, and many of them went on to recreate it in their own homes. To me, that is incredibly rewarding. If I have managed to make someone’s home even a little more comfortable and inviting, then my design has already served its purpose. And honestly, that is all I want from my work.
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DV: What are some categories in the home that are in need of updated design?
Aleksandr: There is a common belief that almost anything can be improved. And perhaps that is true. However, there is an important detail that designers sometimes forget: people are not always willing to adopt something new simply because it is objectively better. There are countless examples of people using the same household object for decades despite its flaws. Habits are powerful. Emotional attachment is powerful.
My father still peels vegetables with a kitchen knife, even though vegetable peelers have existed for many years. He thinks peelers are inconvenient and unnecessary, while I honestly cannot understand how he manages to peel a potato without cutting his finger. Designers have not convinced him that a peeler is better because, from his perspective, he simply does not need it.
Examples like this are everywhere. Improving something merely for the sake of improvement can become what I would call ‘improvement for improvement’s sake.’ Good design should solve a real problem, not just create change. That said, if you ask what I would personally improve in the homes of many people I know, my answer would be lighting.
I would encourage them to stop relying on a single ceiling light as the main source of illumination. Instead, I would recommend using multiple smaller light sources throughout a space—floor lamps, table lamps, wall lamps, and accent lighting.
And I would strongly suggest avoiding cold blue-toned bulbs in living spaces. This approach gives people much more flexibility in shaping the atmosphere of their homes. Ideally, a home should also have large windows that allow natural daylight to fill the space during the day. Then, in the evening, the lighting can become warm, comfortable, and focused exactly where it is needed. Light has an enormous impact on how we experience a space, and I believe it deserves much more attention than it usually receives.
DV: What are your long-term plans as an industrial designer–if you have one?
Aleksandr: At the moment, I don’t have a specific long-term plan. What I truly enjoy is the process of creating and the process of learning. When I started my career as a graphic designer ten years ago, I could never have imagined that a decade later I would be giving an interview as an industrial designer.
I’ve learned that the most interesting opportunities often come from directions you never expected. So I continue moving toward the things that genuinely interest me, the things that spark curiosity and excitement. I also pay close attention to how people respond to my work. If I enjoy what I am creating, and if the objects I make bring value to other people, then I believe I am moving in the right direction. For now, that is enough of a plan for me.