We chatted to Bardo, neither a studio or an agency! Working between Queenstown, Melbourne, Buenos Aires, and Barcelona, their individuals bring so much to the table, making their work a cut above the rest. Lovely attitude and great tips for graduates - read on!
Can you introduce your company to TDK readers, and the Australia/Spain/Argentine cross over! What you do, clients, your team etc, how Bardo came about?
With Bren we met in Buenos Aires working in an agency many years ago. We recrossed again living in Europe, and is where we chose to put our concerns together and we decided to create Bardo, which is neither an agency nor a studio. We decided not to frame us under any structure because we like to experiment in different branches of creativity (graphic design, industrial, art installations, etc). Bardo allow us to live as we want, traveling and creating collaborations and generating projects in every place we go. We are a whole, and it is part of our way of life and how we see things. We work for different parts of the world, having partners in Buenos Aires, Barcelona and now in Melbourne. We work with different scales of clients, from start ups to big companies. Also in parallel to our work as designers we have been giving workshops and lectures in different places. Where we feel more comfortable is with the people and what design can do to enhance ideas.
Where did you study and what were some of your first jobs?
We studied in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our first jobs were in different areas of design. Bren Imboden is a graphic designer from the University of Buenos Aires. Working in the publishing industry being the co-founder with Malena Blanco of Pum editores. Also she has developed as an illustrator. Instead Luis Viale, is a trained architect but his curiosity led him to work and experiment in the fields of industrial and graphic design. We both have experience working in different parts of the world doing collaborations with other professionals and agencies/studios and institutions.
Where do you think design is heading in the next five years and how will you adapt?
We believe that one of the fundamental things nowadays is flexibility. Today we are experiencing a change of paradigms on our way of working, which is the collaborative work. We believe that it will strengthen the crossing of industries and above all we have to think not only locally but on a global basis breaking the borders.
What has been some of the biggest lessons you've learnt along the way?
- Be patient
- Flexible
- Know how to ask (communicate well)
- Be curious
- That time is valuable
- 90% think, 10% doing
- To lose the fear of ridicule
- Be spontaneous
We believe that one of the fundamental things nowadays is flexibility. Today we are experiencing a change of paradigms on our way of working, which is the collaborative work. We believe that it will strengthen the crossing of industries and above all we have to think not only locally but on a global basis breaking the borders.
Which three people in the design industry would you pick as mentors and why?
There are many anonymous that teach us and make us see new things. Often they are not of the design industry. We like to take a little bit of each person that we met. It is very difficult to pick one because we would leave many out, and every moment is someone different. For example here in Melbourne we had the opportunity to meet personally with the artist Ghostpatrol and learned of its simplicity, sensitivity and talent. Also we met locally the HereStudio guys that made us see how they deal with the design and the social concerns.
What tips would you give graduates looking to gain experience, and what is your take on internships?
To visit people that inspire them. Make, experiment, discover themselves and make a lots of mistakes. Observe everyday life and reflect on what surrounds us. Do what you feel and not what you should be doing or what is trendy. We believe that the experience is by doing. It all depends on each person, but you can also gain experience by your own way and not within the framework of a company. They can also do collaborations with people in the industry or other fields. It is the era of flexibility and we believe there is no formula, and everyone has to discover what is the best for themselves.
Where to find BARDO online.
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