Working out of the Box is a series of features presenting architects who have applied their architecture backgrounds to alternative career paths.
Are you an architect working out of the box? Do you know of someone that has changed careers and has an interesting story to share? If you would like to suggest an (ex-)architect, please send us a message.
Archinect: Where did you study architecture?
Margarita Mileva: Master of Architecture - UACEG, School of Architecture - Sofia, Bulgaria; Thesis award - Best Graduate Project for 1988 awarded by UIA, Europe.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue architecture?
MM: As long as I remember I always wanted to be an architect.
People find it strange that even when I was 6 years old I already knew what I want to be. I grew up in a family of artists and surrounded by artists. My father was a painter and my mother is a sculptor. At home, it was like an open house where other artists came over on an everyday basis and passionately discussed art and quite often politics as well. For me, my dad was the best painter and my mom is the best sculptor, so I guess the other “real” artistic profession, in which I will not compete with them, was to become an Architect. I was good in math and loved problem solving, got fascinated by shapes and colors, so becoming an Architect was very natural path for me to choose.
When did you decide to stop pursuing architecture? Why?
MM: I don’t think that I ever stop pursuing architecture. For me, one of the biggest values in architecture is the design – the creative aspect of our profession. I think that in a lot of ways architecture is very closely connected to the other creative disciplines, especially applied arts, where also process is involved as well as understanding of structure, utilitarian values and budget.
My husband is also an architect and we have a small architectural office, Milev Architects, PLLC located in New York. In our practice, we do architecture projects, but quite often, also we design furniture specific to the interiors, which we envision; so jumping from large to small scale was never an issue in our minds.
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Extension of Asplund Library, Stockholm, Sweden, Competition Entry, 2006
Design team: Vesselin Milev, Nikolay Simeonov, Margarita Mileva
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Beach Huts for Disabled Users, Boscombe, UK, Competition entry, 2009
Wood model study
Milev Architects, PLLC – Vesselin Milev, Margarita Mileva
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Office Space at 399 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 2003
Design Architects: Milev Architects, PLLC – Vesselin Milev, Margarita Mileva
Personally, I always had an eye for jewelry, love to design clothes, knit, do collages, etc. So the creation of M2 jewelry line didn’t come as a surprise to any one, but more as a continuation of a path that I followed in my life so far. There was also this “sparking” moment when friends of mine invited me to participate in a show, which they organized in their Manhattan loft. I decided that I have to come up with a concept behind my necklaces, so M2 was “born”. The ever-changing character of the contemporary architectural office, where standard tools become obsolete, in lieu of digital technology, inspired this particular collection of necklaces, named “Recycling of the Architectural Office”. I decided on reusing paperclips, punched business cards, eyelids, rubber bands, mosaic stones, presentation wire binding elements, ribbons, etc. I found joy in creating new experiences in this unique way of working with materials, textures and colors.
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www.milevarchitects.com/m2
M2 became the jewelry venture of Milev Architects. I am trying to create unique, funky jewelry that I would like to be seen as conversation openers.
On a funny note, recently I paid attention to an oil painting that my father made of my sister and I when I was four years old. We are two naked kids on the beach, but I had a purple necklace that I was even holding and showing with my hand. Who knows, maybe without knowing he predicted my future jewelry adventure!
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Petia & Margarita, 1967
Oil Paint on Canvas, 33” x 53”
Dimitar Arnaoudov
Describe your current profession.
MM: Currently, I have been pursuing my architectural practice in a slower pace considering the economic conditions, but also I have been actively developing the jewelry venture of our office with special attention to necklaces and pins made out of rubber bands.
When creating these accessories, I have the feeling of drawing and painting using rubber bands as my material and color palette. It is very interesting for me to follow the reaction of the people viewing my jewelry and trying to figure out the material, which has unique texture and pastel colors.
On my recent trip to Arizona, the beauty and the colors of the desert inspired me for the following necklaces. In these series, I am trying to recreate this in a contemporary way, with unusual materials.
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M2_Arizona Dream
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M2_Painted Desert
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M2_Second Mesa
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M2_Lei
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M2_Rococo
M2 Painted Desert and Rococo , are currently featured in The Gift Shop at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, as well as a collection of rubber band pins.
Currently, I am developing a collection of pins to be included in the Annual Holiday Catalogue of SFMOMA – Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco.
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M2 rubber band necklaces were shown in the exhibition a.DOT , Chicago. This exhibition was curated by Chicago Women in Architecture. Thirty architects were featured there with the goal to present their personal journeys between architecture and doing other things.
I am constantly seeking to expand M2 venture, and I am looking forward to new challenges.
Recently, I have designed a RB-dress which was selected to participate at the Indianapolis Museum of Arts' Project IMA: Fashion Unbound . “The theme for Project IMA: Fashion Unbound is uncanny silhouettes and unexpected materials. Utilizing re-purposed or used materials is strongly encouraged.” Another interesting aspect of this venture is that I am working in collaboration with my younger daughter, who is currently a student of fine arts in the School of Art Institute of Chicago.
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RB Dress: by Margarita Mileva and Iva Mileva, 2010
Material: (4) pounds various colored rubber bands
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RB Dress: by Margarita Mileva and Iva Mileva, 2010
Material: (4) pounds various colored rubber bands
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RB Dress: by Margarita Mileva and Iva Mileva, 2010
Material: (4) pounds various colored rubber bands
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RB Dress: by Margarita Mileva and Iva Mileva, 2010
Material: (4) pounds various colored rubber bands
An exciting aspect in creating and developing the M2 jewelry venture is involving friends and family in the process. It is great to receive business advice from my older daughter, or chase my dreams and ideas with friends and colleagues.
What skills did you gain from architecture school, or working in the architecture industry, that have contributed to your success in your current career?
MM: One of the skills that I acquired from architectural school and later doing competitions, and working in architectural offices is that we always have to create different options and after that to make the decisions and choose which one is the viable design. It is taught to face the critic of your pears or in my case now – the customers, but one have to be prepared to stand by his/her ideas.
Working on architectural projects is process oriented, a lot of times experimentations are involved which is similar to designing of jewelry, or as a matter of fact to other design fields. Aesthetics, proportions, structure, presentation, marketing, promotion are all aspects of both architecture and jewelry design.
Do you have an interest in returning to architecture?
MM: I have never left architecture, and my jewelry design is a detour which gives me another prospective and is benefiting both my art and my architectural design.
In The Press:
Painted Desert was featured in TIME OUT NY under Editor's Obsessions.
Time Out New York / Issue 752 : Feb 25–Mar 3, 2010
M2 were published in an article in MoCo Loco - Web Magazine for Modern and Contemporary Design and Architecture .
Ecouterre.com featured my work in the article:
NYC Architect Makes Jewelry From Discarded Rubber Bands, Paper Clips
Ecouterre.com is a website devoted to the future of sustainable fashion design. In this article, the writer compared my necklaces with ”… multihued sculptures almost resemble strands of DNA or underwater coral..."
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License .
/Creative Commons License
2 Comments
I am really impressed by the idea of creating jewelery out of rubber bands. I must say they are great designs. However, I was a bit concerned about the feasibility and longevity of using rubber bands. As art pieces all the designs are great, but have you thought about the convenience of wearing them for long periods of time?
great work! i believe when you said,
"I have never left architecture, and my jewelry design is a detour which gives me another prospective and is benefiting both my art and my architectural design."
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