We've noticed the growing attention towards spaces - homes (and their decor), offices, urban objects - and decided to start a series of articles introducing architectural and design bureaus that create stylish locations, interiors, and objects. First up are the founders of .dpt, Ksenia Karavaeva and Murat Guketlov.
We asked them about their backgrounds and why they decided to start an architectural bureau. It turns out that Ksenia and Murat were originally working in different fields: Ksenia in interior design and a bit of product design, and Murat in urban planning and landscaping. In most cases, an architecture bureau is formed when people come together for a project, try to collaborate, and if things go well, they establish a bureau. Their first joint project was the development of an exhibition for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. They won a closed tender with a bold concept, presenting it to the ambassador of Qatar. This project combined all their previous experiences and shaped the direction of their bureau.
.dpt stands for "department" and alludes to file extensions such as .pdf or .doc. They knew from the beginning that the spectrum of their activities would be diverse, so they wanted to divide their departments based on the first letter: a.dpt for architecture, l.dpt for urban environment, and so on. .dpt is an incredibly versatile bureau. Their portfolio includes projects of various scales, from home objects and exhibition architecture (like the recently opened "Kuplu Garage" at Sevkabel Port) to large urban territories.
When asked about the size of their team and what unites them, they mentioned that the bureau consists of eleven people, including architects, a manager, SMM and PR specialists. They prioritize soft skills and look for passionate and creative individuals who are interested in design and architecture, can organize themselves and the team, and are ready to make decisions. The required hard skills are basic: relevant education and software proficiency. They do not use AI for significant tasks within their work, as they believe that conceptual solutions, project ideas, and architectural design should be developed by architects. In terms of creativity, they trust themselves.
The conversation led to discussing .dpt's well-known object, the Puddle candle holder. Ksenia and Murat revealed that it was initially created as a gift for clients and friends of the bureau for New Year. The idea came from a melting candle, resulting in a droplet shape. They never expected it to become the basis for a new direction in their work - product design. When they announced the object on Instagram, it received a huge positive response, and many people wanted to purchase it. That's when they decided to focus on product design.
They also talked about the increasing attention people give to home objects and the decor of their living spaces. Ksenia and Murat explained that people strive to surround themselves with beauty and various forms of art, including vintage furniture, table settings, and flowers. Moreover, the Russian market for product design is actively growing and filled with new great brands.
In 2022, they launched a product design line, starting with the well-known Puddle candle holder. Since then, they have continually experimented in this field, creating various objects such as chairs, mirrors, candles, decorations, armchairs, tables, shelves, and new forms of candle holders. Their aim is to create objects that are practical, aesthetic, and accessible to everyone. They thoroughly test their concepts and strive to convey art through familiar objects. They mentioned that the process of creating a mass-produced object is lengthy and involves experienced samples, optimization, trial, and error.
Furthermore, they shared their plans for the future, which include the realization of ongoing projects and a desire to further develop their product design line. They are also engaged in author supervision for an interior project and are looking forward to seeing the finished result. Another exciting project is their curatorial exhibition titled "The Third Place" that explores the concept of the third place in the lives of Soviet people. The exhibition is currently touring in St. Petersburg.
While .dpt is currently focused on the Russian market, they are also interested in international expansion. They believe that their team's diverse skills and their commitment to creativity allow them to explore different avenues of architecture and design.
