Interview with Priyam Doshi

Name Place Animal Thing is a Mumbai-based design studio that specializes in furniture, lights, installations, and decor.​ We draw inspiration from people, places, animals, and all things that exist in the world around us. We cherish experimenting with materials, processes, and techniques, from new to natural to recycled, to create products with an element of intrigue or play.​ Our meticulously designed products are carefully crafted and manufactured in India. We like to call our products FUN-ctional, products that are both fun and functional at their core. ​Along with designing our own products, we collaborate with architects, interior designers & manufacturers on custom projects.

Design is common Sense exectued well.
Design should be honest.
Design shuld bring a smile to the people seeing/using it.
Design can be FUN-ctional.

I like designing lights, furniture and decor.
I love to design products which are FUNctional - Super fun and highly functional.

One of my favourite designs are Ribbon chair & 88 Secrets Cabinet by Nika Zupnac

Form my own designs its the Caterpillar Bar Unit

The first thing I designed for a company was a spatial installation for a high-end jewelry exhibition.

I don’t have favorites; I like being versatile and exploring different materials, right from fabric to wood to metal to paper to terrazzo to clay/ceramics.

I get most random ideas when I am actually not thinking about design, especially when I go for a walk or when I am in the shower.

The practicality of bringing a product to life, ensuring the product is not only aesthetically appealing but also good with functionality

Feeling of Joy
Feeling oh focus
Feeling of Passion
Feeling of Energy

I feel super happy, yet always critical about the final outcome, constantly trying to think of ways to better the designs.

A product which solves all three - need + problem + desire. To me a successful design is something which is a design which is liked by the user and the non-user too.

Form + Functionality + Finishing

Reduce wastage, reuse whenever feasible. Be conscious about not harming the environment

Design itself is the future. It is evelving vastly. Ai will also change a lot of things. I feel liek how its imporatnt to know accounts/ fiannace for all, simiralry design will have to be a skill that every one will need to learn.

The last exhibition was at Ambeinte Fair in Jaunary in Germany organisd by Messse Frankfurt. Next exhibtion should be iin India in 2024

My inspiration comes from nature and from daily life. There are no specific sources of inspiration - It can be any object, nature, geometry, observations of daily life and things around us.

My natural design style is Quirky. Designs that spark joy.
Love making FUn-ctioanl product - Super fun yet super functiaonl products.

I live in Mumbai india. Ofcourse the country where you are born does affect the designs. Pros are getting the opportunity to design versatile products for user of such diverse demographic and having the skillsset, machinery , know how of innovating.

I do design collaborations with different companies. I understand the brief and design as per the requirements, limitations, must haves, the intent and design products which sell well.

Have clarity of thoughts and good design brief which cover the requirements/ limitations and expectations well. The intent should be made clear from day one.

I don’t have any specific design process. It varies from project to project depending on the requirement But in short its inspiration - sketch - 3 d model – Drawing, but juggling between them.

A felt coaster for Hot vessels that I recently brought from a local store at DEnmark
A Chest of Dawers made out of Acacia Wood
A beautiful pendant lamp - Qucorr that I made in college out of corrguated boxes, which doesnt look like it made from waste.
An adjustable side table which doubles up as a seating too.

Brush-Walk/exercise-plan-work-lunch-work-snacks-work-dinner-me time/ free time- sleep

Be honest to the design and yourself. Understand the requirement and stay relevant. Design products which do good business.

That a diffiuclt one. Pros are having a uniqe perspective on things. COns would late working hours and never knowing when to stop. We tend to give in all our all.

There is no Golden rule as such.
Golden rule is to never copy designs.

Communication & presentation
Representation of Ideas - Software
Understanding the brief / intent/ requirements

Rough Papers + Uniball Air Pen
Rhino+ Keyshot

At times I can manage at times I cant so end putting in extra hours.
Recently I have started palinging and creating a to do list, which is helping

It can take aywhere between 2 weeks to two months

What inspires you?

All my jobs have taught me a lot. Imporant job experiecne was being a brand manager handing 3 brands, it was a 360 degree leanring in terms a businees. Design being just one part of it.

Furniture OEM/ Tiling & Terrazzo Company, Ecommerce companies into furniture
Architects & Interior designers.

I enjoy wokring on design projects which let me add fun/ quirk to the desings

Next is to develop a range of furntiure and lights which are releveant yet timeless.
I want exhbit my products at Milan.
I also intend to have my own workshop so that I can design and devleop more products at faster rate.

I mostly prefer to deleop designs on my own.

Yes, I am wokring on a variety of clay lamps in collaboration with a freind of mine. It is goign to be a range of all Scones and Pendant lights.

People can reach out ot me on my phone no. +91 9960144136 or email me at priyam@nameplaceanimalthing.com