We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Olga Petrova-Podolskaya ("OP").
Olga Petrova-Podolskaya is a designer and founder of KOD.objects. She works with architecture as a source for object design. Her projects are shown at Milan Design Week and Venice Design and have received international awards. She also teaches at the International Design School (IDS).
Olga Petrova-Podolskaya Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Olga Petrova-Podolskaya.
Olga Petrova-Podolskaya Design - Jazz Mini Kitchen
Designer Interview of Olga Petrova-Podolskaya:
DI: 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?
OP : I began in the furniture industry, gaining a solid understanding of production, materials, and market structure. I then moved into independent design practice, building my work on architectural logic, proportion, and cultural context.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
OP : KOD.objects is a design laboratory focused on translating architectural archetypes into contemporary objects. The work is based on reduction, structural logic, and material clarity, developing objects as systems rather than isolated forms.
DI: What is "design" for you?
OP : Design is a way to structure and transform reality through form. It is not about decoration, but about creating clear, meaningful, and durable solutions that connect function, space, and cultural context. 04. What is your design philosophy?
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
OP : My philosophy is based on clarity, proportion, and necessity. I approach design as a system where form is derived from structure and meaning, not added as decoration.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
OP : I do not work within a fixed style. My approach is based on architectural thinking, reduction, and structural logic, resulting in forms that are precise, restrained, and durable.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
OP : Projects where an object evolves into a system are the most significant for me, as they allow deeper work with proportion, structure, and meaning.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
OP : I am particularly interested in materials that reveal structure and depth, such as stone and composite materials, as they support clarity and reduce the need for decorative layers.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
OP : Creativity is continuous and develops through research and work. The most productive stage begins when ideas are structured and translated into form.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
OP : Architecture, historical structures, and material culture. I am interested in how forms carry memory and how they can be translated into contemporary objects.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
OP : A design is successful when form, function, and meaning are aligned. It should be understandable without explanation and remain relevant over time.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
OP : To develop a consistent language of form and create objects that have long-term cultural and structural relevance.
DI: What makes a design successful?
OP : The ability to reduce complex ideas into clear, structured forms.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
OP : Through proportion, structural logic, and coherence between concept and execution. I look at necessity, construction, and long-term relevance.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
OP : To create meaningful, durable objects and encourage responsible consumption through clarity and longevity of design.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
OP : Analytical thinking, discipline, and the ability to maintain clarity under complexity.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
OP : My work has been presented internationally, including Milan Design Week and Venice Design. I am interested in exhibitions that treat design as a research-driven practice.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
OP : Innovation is not novelty, but a clearer and more precise solution to an existing problem
DI: 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?
OP : My work is defined by reduction, proportion, and structural clarity, translating architectural logic into objects.
DI: 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?
OP : Moscow, Russia.
DI: How do you work with companies?
OP : Research → reduction → translation into form → material and construction refinement.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
OP : By studying structure, context, and function before moving into form.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
OP : Through sketches, models, and iterative refinement of proportion and structure.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
OP : Objects where form and structure are inseparable and developed as systems.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
OP : Work is structured around research, sketching, development, and collaboration with production teams.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
OP : Through continuous research, observation, and engagement with architecture and design practice.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
OP : Maintaining depth and clarity in a context driven by visual effect.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
OP : Focus on structure and understanding, not on visual trends.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
OP : Patience, discipline, and the ability to continue working under uncertainty.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
OP : A system that shapes how people live, interact, and understand their environment.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
OP : Based on prioritization and sequencing of research, development, and production.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
OP : From several weeks to several months, depending on complexity and depth of research.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
OP : The need to build a consistent language of form and develop systems, not isolated objects.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
OP : Developing projects where form is derived from structure and context, not imposed.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
OP : Clients who value design as a long-term and structured process.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
OP : System-based design that allows deeper work with structure and meaning.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
OP : To expand KOD.objects as a design laboratory and develop new object systems.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
OP : Concepts are developed independently; realization involves collaboration.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
OP : As part of the process of refinement and clarification.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
OP : I see design as a long-term process of developing a coherent architectural language through objects.