Interviews

Jens Wendland and Andrea Weitz of Raumkontor seek to transform the usually hard world of the bathroom into a soft, textile world for water. Adeline Seidel talked to the two interior designers about their “Soft Revolution”.

In the form of the “Axor Starck V” fountain mixer, Axor, Hansgrohe SE’s design brand, is entering virgin territory and conjuring up a vortex in bathrooms. Thomas Wagner talked to Philippe Grohe, MD of the Axor brand, on flowing and calm water, on vortices and other ways of making water a sensible experience.

More than ten years ago Antonio Citterio designed his first range of fittings for Axor, a brand by Hansgrohe. Having done two very distinct series, he created a synthesis with his third: Axor Citterio E. The designer and architect talked to us about risks, confidence and the quality of life, all of which are occasionally associated with selected products.

: are fans of the radical and made the “Nerd”

: design objects that can more than you would expect.

At the DOMOTEX 2015 press conference in Berlin the designer and special guest of Innovations@DOMOTEX, Roberto Palomba from Milan, and carpet designer Jan Kath met for the first time ever. The pair soon started chatting about tattoo carpets, silky clouds and doing creative work in the air. An interview by Martina Metzner.

: combines wood with 3D-technology and leaves things open.

Architect André Schmidt worked for renowned studios such as OMA and BIG before going it alone. In this interview with Michiko Wemmje the man who chose Berlin as his home explains what role flooring design plays in major projects – and what he finds so fascinating about the Innovations@DOMOTEX Areas he designed.

: whisk us away into Norway’s wilderness and flirt with Memphis in the process.

“Allstar” and “Hack” are the two items of office furniture that Konstantin Grcic has designed for Vitra. At the Orgatec Thomas Wagner talked with him about changes in the office world and the two newcomers.

Guglielmo Poletti forms metal with precise elegance and comprehend design as a way to achieving happiness.

: folds sofas like origami and builds fantastic cocoon worlds on sand.

But the potential the technology has and how it can alter design is explained by Belgian designer duo Unfold alias Claire Warnier and Dries Verbruggen – pioneers of 3D ceramic printing – in interview with Martina Metzner.

: fills paper with air, water and life.

Charlotte Malz talked to Tim Chang about gaming as part of human nature and how this can support an eco-friendly driving style.

: collect memories and makes collages with them.

: takes suns and planets out of orbit and puts them in our apartments.

: dreams of an opulent garden and gives a new twist to Bambi.

: form a small powerhouse that folds concrete and works with counterweights.

: sandblasts Douglas firs to create objects of a silent elegance.

Not that long ago the label “residential high-rise” brought to mind images of cheap tenements and social flashpoints. Thomas Wagner talked to Claudia Meixner and Florian Schlüter of Meixner Schlüter Wendt Architekten about new, attractive and high-quality projects.

Can the idea of the Bauhaus be transposed onto the digital age? This will bethe issue tackled at the “Digital Bauhaus Summit” at the end of June inWeimar. Adeline Seidel interviewed the conference curators Philipp Albers,Holm Friebe, Mads Pankow and Kathrin Passig via the cloud.

Yukio Hashimoto is one of Japan’s top interior designers and imbues hotels, spas and restaurants with a very special look and feel. Martina Metzner met the architect and asked him how he blends tradition with modern aspects, and why restaurants need dramatic lighting effects.

On the occasion of the fifth annual conference on global urbanism at the Columbia University, New York, Catriona McLaughlin talked to thinker Saskia Sassen about the relation between invisible and visible mobility, the power of open-source-systems and her ongoing research on “urbanizing technology”.

Takashi Ueno, Mamoru Naito, Keizaburo Honda and Mizuho Naito are the creative minds behind Leif.designpark. Uta Abendroth met the Japanese team to talk about nature as a source of inspiration, their strong links with Europe and about sweeping sofas in Japanese apartments.

On May 9, 2014 the exhibition “Mission: Postmodern” opens at Deutsches Architekturmuseum. Sophia Walk talked with Oliver Elser, the show’s curator, about Heinrich Klotz, his chamber of marvels, and postmodernism.

Ross Lovegrove presented his new chair “Diatom” in Milan at the Moroso booth. Adeline Seidel conducted a series of txt-msgs with him on his diatomic passions.

Once again, Patricia Urquiola was omnipresent in Milan. The reason is simple: Most established design brands, be it B&B Italia, Moroso, Glas Italia, Molteni, Mutina or Kvadrat, are featuring her products. Uta Abendroth spoke with the designer, who has chosen Milan as her home, about the innovations she is presenting at the Salone, prototypes in her own home, and the family factor.

Indian architect Bijoy Jain of Studio Mumbai is well-known for his architecture that is rich of traditional craftsmenship. But how does he live himself? Peter-Philipp Schmitt spoke with Jain about his house that is on view at the exhibition “Where Architects Live” at the Salone in Milan.

Be it exhibitors, young talents or curious specialist visitors – everyone needs assistance in making their way around the Light + Building in Frankfurt. Stylepark spoke with Director Maria Hasselman and asked her about the role the trade-fair plays for experts from the world of light and building technology.

To know more about why and how the Archivo Diseño y Arquitectura in Mexico City intends to become a reference for the discussion of design in Latin America, Isabel Martínez Abascal talked with its director, Regina Pozo.

In the wake of "Ploum" Ligne Roset is now presenting another upholstered group based on a shell shape: "Cosse". Martina Metzner talked with designer Philippe Nigro about his new creation, his items for the Hermès fashion house and what he learned during his time with Michele De Lucchi's studio.

LED technology has also revolutionized luminaire design. The lighting element proper is getting ever smaller. In Part 2 of the interview Thomas Wagner talks with the founder and CEO of Nimbus, about the magic of light, the positioning of the brand, what he appreciates most about working with architects, and why nature is the measure of all things when it comes to how we perceive light.

Nimbus – what a wonderfully illustrious name! The company is based in Feuerbach outside Stuttgart and though it doesn’t produce halos, it makes LEDs, which not only emit great light, but are both uncompromisingly functional and look cool. Thomas Wagner met the Nimbus founder, and talked about luminaires, design decisions, the advantages of LED technology, and the interaction of architecture and light.