Since I can remember, design is my passion and the way I can express myself. It starts by myself, the first sketch on paper and many thoughts about function, story, need, material and so on. Later I share my vision with my team, the client and the engineers. It is a process, lots of work lead by my passion and instinct.
career
Since I can remember, design is my passion and the way I can express myself. Driven by my experience and a strong sense for creativity, my studio collaborates with established brands of furniture and lighting design around the world next to up and coming brands and traditional craftsmen.
For me, design is about communication. It starts by myself, the first sketch on paper and many thoughts about function, story, need, material and so on. Later I share my vision with my team, the client and the engineers. It is a process, lots of work lead by my passion and instinct. Since graduation from the University of Arts and Design Offenbach in 2007, I run my own studio with a focus on furniture, lighting and product design. Developing my own design language and philosophy and continuing in evolving is my daily attitude to design for human beings in a digital world.
design philosophy & defining a particular style
I see in my profession in a very responsible approach. Sustainability in an economic and social aspect, thinking about resources, the way of production, the location of production. There are many more aspects of my work than just the creative part. I want to present a certain attitude and message.
I want to create long-lasting objects which become companions for life. I am not interested in trends at all. I love to collaborate with craftsmen, because they are my heroes, they support me and bring my ideas to life. Crafts for me mean quality and uniqueness. Visiting artisans around the globe to discover local techniques, finishes, colors, details, and materials is an amazing source of inspiration and I love these intercultural aspects in my work. Crafts is always connected to an area or town, to a culture and it is my social sustainability to support the craft and the people who are in charge of it.
I see in my profession in a very responsible approach. Sustainability in an economic and social aspect, thinking about resources, the way of production, the location of production. There are many more aspects of my work than just the creative part. I want to present a certain attitude and message. I want to create longlasting objects which become companions for life.
design process
At the beginning, it is important to understand the client and the idea very well. I visit the brand always at their headquarters to meet the people, from the director to the craftsmen. It is necessary to understand the story behind, the DNA of the brand as well as the vision. Is there something we can share and develop together? This is a very important question. Design is a very emotional job and you need a reliable partner on the other side to push boundaries and to get to another level together.
good design
Good design is honest, self-explanatory and in high quality. It doesn’t mean it has to be simple, classic or super-functional. It could be also colorful. I think this is a philosophy and an individual perception.
sustainability
I think it is about responsibility for our life. Take care of resources, use materials in a good and efficient way, think about recycling, cradle to cradle, in-house production. I think there are many aspects to consider in the design process. So far, there are too many designers producing waste and also too many people buying like crazy and not in a responsible way.
design industry & sustainable, ethical design
There are some technologies such as 3D printing, robotics, AI, etc. Can they be helpful about this issue? A designer has the power together with the producer and also the journalists to spread the word, to change the way of consuming products. I think we need to find a good balance between digital and analog life, between tradition and new technologies like 3D printing. We are humans and we will be humans. We need to use our senses which will always distinguish us from robots.
We need to learn to be patient again, that quality products take time to produce. Think about a loaf of bread at a local bakery, handmade shoes or a mouth-blown vase. There are craftsmen involved, with amazing skills and lots of passion. You need to wait to get the product. I think a lot has to do with the loss of values over the last decades. We need to discover them again.
Sustainability is about responsibility for our life. Take care of resources, use materials in a good and efficient way, think about recycling, cradle to cradle, in house production. I think there are many aspects to consider in the design process.
recent projects
We just presented some new collections like the Miles and Merwyn collection for Austrian company Wittmann. They are about 120 years old and working on seating furniture in a really haute couture way using traditional pocket springs for the upholstery. This aspect was the starting point of the Merwyn chair which has a macaron shaped seat to hide the pockets inside. The whole collection is based on the idea of the French macarons. Another new design is the Mbarq sofa for Dedon we worked on the last 2 years. It is a cozy sofa system with two different heights. New lighting called Bent for Pulpo is made of casted glass elements produced in a small workshop in Venice. When I saw the technique the first time, I absolutely fell in love and wanted to do something with it. Next, to the lamp, we designed also a family of tables using the same glass elements.
a piece of advice
It is important to find their own approach and design language and work, work, work…
