Showcase & Discover Creative Work

Rouben Mohiuddin was born in Bangladesh. At the mere age of three, his father took him on a 17-year journey to North Africa, Asia and the Middle East. This journey instilled in him with a bounty of diversity, which influenced what would become a life long appreciation for Art, Architecture and Design.

He then pursued an undergraduate degree in Architecture and Environmental Design at the State University of New York at Buffalo followed by a Graduate degree in Architecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture. His architectural education was a trans-disciplinary education that integrated the arts, sciences, and the humanities through creative, analytical and immersive thinking and development.

After graduation, Rouben started his design career working at select firms in Los Angeles and New York, specializing in creative custom residential projects. In 2002 he established Design SI.

Although endlessly driven by the practice of design, he has always been inspired by the notion of ‘giving back’ through pro-bono community projects and has served as an educator at the University of California Los Angeles, Otis School of Art and Design, New York School of Interior Design, The Art Institute of California, and currently at California State University, Chico. Rouben enjoys fly-fishing, the outdoors and urban forestry. He and his wife, Trina, have a son, Zayd and reside in Chico, CA.

Read Less

Design SI is a creative studio offering design services for unique residences, timeless interiors and sustainable products. Our projects include additions, restorations and the adaptive reuse, as well new construction. With a creative design approach, we offer unique design solutions accommodating a range of budgets and individual needs. We pride ourselves of being a team of design professionals, comprised of designers, artists and craftsmen who are both excellent listeners and interpreters. Whether it is for the design of a property, or a product, each project is conceived in terms of its individual potential and opportunities for the client. Every detail, from the accessories, furnishings, and artwork, to the millwork, lighting and systems, are designed to complement each other while fulfilling the overall objectives of the assignment.

Our approach is based on direct experience – a way of life and development inside to the outside. Our work incorporates an explorative design methodology with sustainable programming and practices. Using both traditional and alternative materials we aspire to produce the wonder and beauty of its potentialities. We believe design is bound to a situation, a ‘construct’ intertwined within the phenomenon of a place. We work with the finest materials shaped with intense skill and craftsmanship of our team and we hope to project an outlook both severe and spontaneous, a design, based on principles as universal as possible, producing space and objects that are real and utilitarian. Whether reflecting the unity of concept and program, or the intertwining of idea and phenomena, the hope is to unite intellect, feeling and precision with the soul of a human-made creation transposed into products and services.

First and foremost, we have endeavoured to be truly responsive to each client and to each project on their own terms, rather than from some preconceived viewpoint or aesthetic agenda of our own. Part of our effort to respond more individually has involved the improbable goal of ridding ourselves of a repetitiously personal style and self-consciousness of “signature” design. We are committed to the idea that design is a problem solving process, a craft in the service of a program towards the needs of our clients. Design SI is dedicated to providing you with a level of service that is unmatched. Our attention to detail and eye for design ensures an enjoyable design experience. We are proud to offer a wide array of design services, including:

Custom Home / Residential Design
Interior Design
Furniture Design
Product Design
Art Consultation
Concept Development
Space Planning
Adaptive Re-use

Residential Design:
Creating the perfect home requires careful listening and interpretation so as to make sure you get the design of your dreams. We approach our ideas with an imaginative blend of design style and modern convenience – with Design SI you become part of an exciting process – the art of making your dream home come to life. From simple to the most luxurious houses, we work hand-in-hand with your available resources. We can modify an existing home plan to suit to your current budget or can expand your home blueprint to provide a customized design to match your taste and desire. Our houses emphasize open and light-filled spaces with a strong connection to the natural environment. Enduring, design principles permeate the work, transposed into fresh, modern forms. While each house is a unique work resulting from a close collaboration between designer and client, we strive to create thoughtful spaces with innovative forms, copious details and timeless materials.

Interior Design

We specialize in High End Residential and Commercial interior design services. Each project receives personal attention from our design team, enabling clients to achieve excellent value for every dollar invested. We work closely with architects and clients to determine the structure of a space plan, the needs of the occupants, and the style that best suits both. Whether it is prestigious office, luxury home, casual cafe or an upscale restaurant, our team is fully responsible for the preparation of a complete turnkey package with all project details from initial conception phase to the final installation. We provide an exceptional service at every level of the project ensuring a smooth and successful completion of projects exceeding client’s expectations. We strive to maintain a balance between functionality and aesthetics primarily to create a functional environment and optimizing space while creating unique, timeless and innovative solutions. While each space is a unique work resulting from a close collaboration between designer and client, we strive to create thoughtful spaces with innovative forms, copious details and timeless materials. In the end, we want to create spaces that withstand the tests of time and increasing the likelihood that you will enjoy the look for many years to come.

Furniture Design:

Design SI in collaboration with Westgate Urban Woods offers truly unique solid wood furniture handcrafted from urban trees salvaged due to disease or natural causes. Designed in California and made in Chico, each piece is unique, the color and figure of the wood, the touch of the craftsman’s hand, the shape and size can never be duplicated. We know where the tree grew. We take responsibility for its second life and are proud of our work. No part of the manufacturing process is out-sourced, production from milling to completion has been designed to minimize and reuse as many resources as possible.

Solid wood is a challenge. It is continually ‘alive’ and ‘moves,’ depending on weather conditions, moisture content of the air and temperature. Each board of each species is individual and must be understood; the good characteristics exploited. For construction, we use the very best joinery possible. Corners are customarily dovetailed; butterflies of contrasting wood are often placed over naturally occurring cracks for support. Joints are mortised and tenoned, often with the tenons showing.

Although pieces are usually made of walnut or maple, we have extraordinary English Oak Burls, English Walnut, Redwood Burls, Claro Walnut, of which almost all have been custom cut in our facilities. Once cut, these logs are naturally air dried for years before kiln drying. The air drying process maintains the color and graining patterns unique to each plank. Some planks are from three to five feet wide and twelve to fourteen feet long with exceptional richness in graining.

Typically, we do not use spray or stain, but allow the oil to penetrate deeply and hand-rub it between each coat to maximize the natural color, grain patterns and luster within. This finish allows the wood to “breathe” in your home as it once did in a forest. For table tops we add a final coat which gives added protection for dining, coffee, and occasional tables. This more durable finish is applied over the same base finish keeping the true colors of the wood and providing the ability for simple care and maintenance.

People are often indoctrinated with the fragility of wood. This is true of veneers where the actual surface is only 1/28 to 1/40 of an inch thick – sometimes thinner. Unless they are treated with care, their surface will be destroyed. Because of this fragility, a thick, heavy, “protective” coating, usually polished to an unnatural degree, must be applied. No weathering or improvement with age is possible. If this surface begins to deteriorate, it must be refinished. Good solid wood, with a penetrating oil finish, on the other hand, is a very different material – it is an actual surface and not merely a protective skin – allowing the piece to patina naturally, improving in quality throughout the years. Read Less

Teaching Philosophy:

My architectural education was innovative, a multi-disciplinary curriculum fusing aesthetics, social and cultural concerns. I almost look at as a general education that integrates the arts, sciences, and the humanities through analytical thinking, creativity, craftsmanship, and social interaction. Since 2002 I have served as an educator at various universities and colleges. Currently I am faculty at California Sate University, Chico and in the past have held positions at the Art Institute of California, Otis School of Art and Design, University of California, Los Angeles, American Intercontinental University and New York School of Interior Design. As an academic I have always been interested in the extreme social and environmental conditions in which to debate the nature of art and design, the future of cities, and the changing role of architects, designers and artists.

Design is a problem solving process, as a practicing academic, I aspire to give students the intellect and foundational skills necessary for success in the design field. I hope to enable them to go beyond the basics, allowing them to think creatively and originally in the application of ‘techné. Design is also a research process involving technical research, case study research and the investigation of various design possibilities or opportunities relative to a contextual situation. As it is contextual I try to inspire students to become life-long learners, and to continue to seek knowledge long after they leave the classroom.

Design skills cannot be properly learned and understood simply by reading and writing. I design exercises and projects that challenge the students and force them to think conceptually. I believe in active learning; utilizing teaching methods adaptable to different kinds of learners. I employ a variety of teaching methods such as short lectures with visual aids, demonstrations, step-by-step hands-on exercises, discussions, and in progress critiques. As I share technical knowledge and information with the students, I emphasize on developing intellectual skills so as to be able to analyze, criticize, translate, transform and synthesize design ideas with an innovative and creative execution.

I believe in life-long learning. I don’t want students to view my classes as something they have to “get through”. Rather, I hope that they will see them as just the start of a process, a journey that will carry them throughout their career. “Creativity” and “artistry” are abstract thus I emphasize the ‘critique’ where the greatest learning occurs; this is when ideas can be explored, conceptual positions and design choices can be argued, and student understanding can be evaluated. I push all my students to participate in this process, all opinions should be heard, and all ideas are discussed. This thoughtful, in-depth analysis is invaluable. It is in the ‘critique’ that students learn to articulate a thought process a leading to a design process, often bringing new insight and creative endeavor.

It is important for students to develop a methodology for conceptual thinking. The understanding of the contextual factors that drive decision-making processes is essential to help students begin to look beyond solutions that are comfortable to solutions that are creative and unique. During project development students should develop an understanding of the design process, both from a personal and historical perspective. I provide the students with an historical context, case study research and examples of built work to begin to understand the problem at hand and to explain the process in a manner that allows for flexibility and adaptability. With the ever-changing shape of the profession in practice, flexibility is a necessity and adaptability is critical for students to succeed. A thorough understanding of the design process is the only way to honestly prepare students for the rigors of professional practice.

I try to approach both artistic and pragmatic situations, which are always presented with projects where the form of the outcome is never predetermined. Students will be challenged to identify and articulate the various parameters leading to the appropriate contextual and case study research leading to concept development, to solution and intervention. I believe that properly equipped, students will be better prepared to face the rapidly changing world with lifestyle and social changes implications demanding new design directives. As designers of the future, students should be able to analyze and comprehend ambiguous circumstances, and move with relative certainty toward new possibilities.

For as much as I love to teach, I also love to learn; and it is that desire for knowledge that above all else, I would hope to inspire.

Community Outreach

Although endlessly driven by the practice of design, Design SI have always been inspired by the notion of ‘giving back’ through pro-bono community projects. In collaboration with students these projects are typically focused towards non-profit groups and community organizations. Under the supervision of Design SI, selective students participate in an innovative educational experience, an outreach project that gives these students real-world design experience, an experience not available in the classroom. These projects are designed allowing participating students to develop new skill sets and build strong relationships with one another. Projects are designed to create and foster a sense of professional ethics that can often extend far beyond the classroom. A selected group of talented and inspired designers will develop designs to fulfill the various requests of clients. The design team will consult with clients, present them with designs and receive real-world responses to their work. The goal of this isn’t to have the client select one specific design or another, it is focused on providing clients with several ideas or possibilities of what the project can look like and how it can serve their purpose. At the end, students benefit from designing a real-world project and participating in the designer-client consultation experience. If you are a non-profit organization in need of any conceptual design services please feel free to contact us. For both – Clients and students, this project is a win-win situation. You will receive conceptual drawings, ideas and models, which can be helpful when contracting professional design / architecture and construction firms for your project implementation.

- Provide students with experience by working on real-world projects that involve design constraints, budgets, reviews and deadlines.

- Students learn about the principles of design, professionalism, licensing, how ethics affect decisions, entrepreneurship and the day-to-day implications of intellectual property.

- A culmination of their undergraduate education and provides them with the opportunity to apply and develop their design, analytical, project management, interpersonal and communication skills through a team-based project.

- Students are encouraged to work in an interdisciplinary manner, with an integrated design seminar facilitating the exchange of ideas and talent from multiple disciplines. This exposes students to the kind of multidisciplinary teamwork they are likely to encounter in industry.

As their projects take form, student teams keep in touch with their industry and advisers, hold meetings, write formal documentation and present their work. At the end, the teams produce a prototype or virtual demonstration of their design. Students know their design must solve a real-world problem and work hard to achieve a high quality outcome.

Research Interest:

One of the largest waste producing industries is Architecture and Design. Many companies have realized the importance of recycling. Recycling saves natural resources. We know that recycling involves the processing and usage of the core elements of an old product for the production of new products. This helps in saving our natural resources, helping us preserve natural resources for our future generations and maintaining the balance of the nature. Recycling saves energy. The amount of energy needed in manufacturing products using recycled materials consumes less energy than manufacturing them from ‘virgin materials’. Recycling saves space for waste disposal, enabling proper usage of waste products and the reduction of landfills.

In the last 15 years, my professional work incorporated design methodology and alternative building materials while incorporating sustainable programming and green design practices. With an interest in design innovations that enhance sustainability, efficiency, and interactivity in the home, I have focused on objects and spaces that are eco-friendly, multi-purpose and modular. Since the beginning of this year, I have been commissioned to design, develop and fabricate two projects, in Chico, CA and New York, NY, both incorporating the use of reclaimed trees and materials. These projects have led to professional partnerships with several local companies interested in my work and production methodologies.

Unfortunately a lot of what we see being labeled as “good design” in magazines and at stores is all style and no substance. Many contemporary designs merely imitate the classic Modernist aesthetic without any of the idealistic social agenda that made Modernism such a groundbreaking movement back in the early 20th century. The flip side to this is that oftentimes real technological innovations – the ones which will eventually change the way we live our lives – are often not packaged into enough of a stylish aesthetic to move beyond niche circles and crossover into mainstream popular taste. Note a new emerging category is called “Green Design”. I believe that all design should be inherently “Green”. Good design is not about color, style or trends – but instead about thoughtfully considering the user, the experience, the social context and the impact of an object on the surrounding environment. Sustainability, economy and efficiency are some of the positive implications that go hand in hand with using recycled or re-appropriated materials in design. No design can be considered good design unless it at least attempts to address some of these concerns.

In Art, since the Dada movement of the early 20th century, artists and designers have re-appropriated “found objects” as a way of commenting on consumer culture, industrial production and the very meaning of Art itself. Similarly, in Design, re-appropriation is not – or at least should not – be merely about environmentalism, efficiency or making crafts from reclaimed items. Rather, the social commentary of Art in “found objects” should be reflected in the field of design as well. The social and cultural implications of reusing familiar old materials in the context of design elicit deeper investigation. Recycling as a design strategy is often associated with environmentalism, yet it is clearly more complex than just a just a desire to tread lightly on the planet. The purpose of my project, ‘Recycling + Design’ investigates cultural and contextual implications of furniture and product design attempting to translate the traditional vernacular and transpose them into newer alternative designs while exploring sustainable production methodology and techniques.

My initial point of departure was seeing miles and miles of orchards when I moved to Northern California. A material that grows abundantly here in the Sacramento Valley is the walnut tree, specific to this region it is known as ‘Claro Walnut’. Inspired by George Nakashima’s work, I started developing truly unique furniture designed from wood harvested from trees salvaged in Chico, CA that otherwise would have been discarded due to disease and city development. Each piece designed is unique, the color and figure of the wood, the touch of the craftsman’s hand, the shape and size can never be duplicated. Taking responsibility of its second life, I have been investigating the relationships between recycling, design and production methodology. No part of the manufacturing process is outsourced. My objective is to develop techniques, processes and products by recycling and repurposing these local trees while investigating opportunities in minimizing waste and reusing as many resources as possible. Incorporating both digital design and hand crafted methodologies I am developing a body of work transforming reclaimed, recycled and salvaged trees into socially thought provoking prototypes. As I develop and investigate this topic I hope to expand my work using other types of recycled materials such as scrap metal, plastics, and paper.

Additional notes -

Although the work produced is experimental in nature, the topic of my work is also viable in everyday lives of people. Being able to recycle and repurpose materials can help in economic efficiency. This includes the entire production cycle starting from harvesting and processing of raw materials, transferring them from their origin to production places, processing and manufacturing costs. If the work produced results in new techniques in using recycled materials in design, these prototypes may creates opportunities for people, involved in the various stages of the design and production process in the industry. As the projects take form I will produce formal documentation and present the work with prototypes and virtual demonstration of the designs. This may result in commercialized use of the ideas. As the designs must aspire to solve real world problems, successful products will have to achieve a high quality outcome and may have the potential for patents, copyrights and trademarks.

In relation to teaching, this project will also be an education tool that gives the selected students working with me a real world design experience, an experience not available in the classroom - Students understand real-world design constraints, budgets, reviews and deadlines. Students learn about professionalism, how ethics affect decisions, entrepreneurship and the day-to-day implications of intellectual property.
Students learn analytical problem solving, project management, interpersonal and communication skills through a team based project approach and are encouraged to work in an interdisciplinary manner. Facilitate the exchange of ideas and talent from multiple disciplines, exposes students to the kind of trans-disciplinary teamwork they are likely to encounter in industry.

In addition, to meet national standards in Interior Design education, the Interior Design profession is in transition. It is apparent in the culture change of the Interior Design profession has changed from an emphasis on decoration to a program based on Interior Architecture. The profession incorporates sustainable and green design thinking in many aspects of a project from design to implementation. I teach a Furniture Design course which explores and allows the collaboration between artists and designers. Sustainable Development helps guide a strong commitment to balancing human, social, cultural, and economic needs with the natural environment. Through events and partnerships on and off campus, this project offers ideas relevant to environmental education, building environmentally friendly facilities, and model of sustainable practices.

Read Less