With ambitious plans for the future, we’ve been meticulously handpicking staff to join the team because we fully understand that our company and our future projects will only be as good as our people. We’re keen to keep pushing ourselves with new ideas and techniques, so selecting the right people for the Design Team is particularly key.
Recently, we caught up with our newest addition: Interior Designer, Mike Valentini.
I come from Urbino, a small town in the central part of Italy, homeland of Raphael (this is our claim to fame). It is a quiet place nested on the top of a hill, surrounded by countryside, a completely different landscape to London, where I moved 2 years ago.
My family is involved in the classic car business, that’s why I drive an old Fiat 500 from 1969 every time I am home visiting my parents. I have a brother who lives in London too (he drives a brand-new Mini Cooper though).
I attended the Industrial Design programme at the IUAV University of Venice, followed by an MA in Design at the Linnéuniversitetet in Växjö, Sweden. I think of design as a way to pursue functionality and studying in Scandinavia was a great opportunity to grow in that direction. I am also very interested in sustainability which was one of the pivotal points of my MA programme.
No, first I did an internship at GumDesign in Viareggio, Italy. They are a multidisciplinary studio that works in product, interior and architecture. And then it was London.
Prior to Apteriors, I worked as an interior designer for IPT Architects, London. The studio is focused on modular building with a keen eye on sustainability.
I joined the design team when Apteriors was working to get the BIM Level 2 Certification. So, the first challenge was to make sure that our standards met the level 2 requirements. I really enjoyed it, as it gave me the chance to quickly understand how the company works in a lot of depth. Since then, I’ve worked on several interior design projects, mainly for educational spaces.
I wanted to work in a medium sized design team with the ambition to grow, and Apteriors is exactly what I was looking for. Functionality is a key role here, and I felt I could fit into this way of doing design.
I am learning a lot about educational spaces and how the interiors should be designed, while I work on the projects we have now, and this is something I am keen to continue doing every day. You should never stop learning, right?
I couldn’t have hoped for a better environment. I found a cohesive design team always ready to help and give advice. It’s a real collaborative way of working, which I really enjoy. Behind the scenes, the company is growing, and the future looks promising.
Ok Mike, this is the fun bit. It’s a quick-fire round so tell us the first thing that comes to your mind. No over-thinking! Ready, Steady, Go..
After a BA in Industrial Design at IUAV University of Venice, followed by an MA in Design at the Linnéuniversitetet in Växjö, Sweden, Mike gained experience in Italy, prior to moving to London. Before joining Apteriors, he worked as an interior design at IPT Architects, focusing on modular construction and particularly its sustainability.
Since joining our team, Mike has been part of the key team working on gaining our BIM Level 2 Certification. He has also worked closely with the rest of the design team and our suppliers, focusing mainly on educational & commercial spaces.
