Interviews

Valentina Ciuffi and Joseph Grima are the initiators of Alcova, one of the latest exhibitions during Milan Design Week. Valentina Ciuffi tells us in an interview what visitors can expect this year at the new location.

From 18 to 23 April 2023, the Salone del Mobile.Milano will be held at the Fiera Milano Rho exhibition centre and include the Euroluce lighting biennale. Simone Farresin and Andrea Trimarchi, founders of the research-based design studio Formafantasma, have created modular exhibition designs for it. Andrea Trimarchi explains the concept to us in an interview.

The Italian family-owned company Fantini can build on strong roots: founded in 1947, the fittings manufacturer based on picturesque Lake Orta has been renowned for exceptional designs and consistently high quality since the beginning. CEO Daniela Fantini explains to us in an interview what makes Fantini different.

Architects and engineers are the kind of people who have set themselves the task of making the world a better place. But what can anybody do after having come to the realization that the world will be past saving if we carry on building at the current rate? In this interview with our author Falk Jaeger, architect and engineer Werner Sobek reveals some disturbing facts.

It is the objective of Berlin-based startup Urban Beta to create integrated, innovative, and transformative spaces. With BetaPort, the company has taken a participative approach to developing an on-demand, circular, modular timber-hybrid building system. In this interview, Marvin Bratke, managing partner at the studio, explains the concept to us.

Concular promotes circular construction, thus helping the building sector to use the available resources efficiently and to become carbon neutral in its objectives. Its digital database allows users to view those materials and products that can be reused for new projects. In this interview, Annabelle von Reutern, Head of Business Development, explains the concept to us.

At this year's ISH in Frankfurt am Main, Geberit presented a wide range of sanitary solutions and smart ideas that simplify planning as well as use and maintenance. Designer Christoph Behling has been designing for Geberit for many years and gives us an overview of the novelties in this interview.

Ole Scheeren has become widely known for projects such as the CCTV Headquarters and Guardian Art Center in Beijing as well as The Interlace residential complex in Singapore. Now the Center for Art and Media (ZKM) in Karlsruhe is showing a solo exhibition of the German architect's work until 4 June 2023.

The interdisciplinary and international team of the Vetica design studio led by Peter Wirz accompanies the development processes of industrial products in form and function – such as for the premium brand Laufen. His new collection is on show at the ISH in Frankfurt am Main from 13 to 17 March 2023.

Roca, the world’s largest manufacturer of sanitary ceramics, is expanding its portfolio of complete bathroom solutions still further. Marc Viardot, Corporate Marketing and Design Director of the Roca Group gives us an insight into the ISH trade fair appearance of the Roca brand and the philosophy of the company.

In the run-up to ISH, which will be taking place in Frankfurt am Main from March 13-17, we talked to two experts from the fields of HVAC and bathroom fitting, Jens J. Wischmann, CEO of Vereinigung Deutsche Sanitärwirtschaft e.V. (VDS), and Claudio Paulus, who is on the management board at heating and air conditioning firm E. Engelhardt GmbH + Co.KG. In the interview, the two talk about how things currently stand and about what areas will be gaining in importance.

Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine is also waged on Ukrainian architectural culture: Our author Falk Jaeger spoke to architect Philipp Meuser about the Ukrainian architectural legacy and the plans for reconstruction once the war is over.

On the occasion of the ISH, we spoke with the two expert planners Matthias Rammig and Felix Thumm from Transsolar about sensible smart building solutions in the field of water and energy for existing buildings. The world's leading trade fair for HVAC + Water will take place in Frankfurt am Main from March 13 to 17, 2023.

Kyiv-based architecture and design studio balbek bureau is committing to helping its country deal with the Russian aggression, while pursuing commercial projects of the day-to-day work at the same time. Borys Dogorov, co-founder, managing partner and Chief Operating Officer of balbek bureau, tells us about the bureau’s social projects, compiled under the umbrella RE:Ukraine.

Patrick Jouin is among the designers who are shaping the holistic change in the industry – from his participation in the first Salone Satellite in Milan to his ongoing cooperation with Pedrali. He tells us in an interview what sustainable furniture design constitutes today.

The Swedish architecture and design studio Claesson Koivisto Rune was founded in 1995 by three students: Mårten Claesson, Eero Koivisto and Ola Rune. The trio is not affected by supposed boundaries between disciplines: Their work is diverse and creates new perspectives. In the interview, Eero Koivisto looks back at the beginnings and ahead to current projects.

Gumpo offers more than do traditional office furniture makers: The products designed by Relvāokellermann can be flexibly adapted to meet architects’ wishes for each particular project. In our interview, Gumpo General Manager Sebastian Waibel told us why it is worth critically revisiting processes, and what New Work means to him.

Changing the way we understand, perceive and relate to materials: That’s the aim of Bonnie Hvillum, who’s focus is on human interaction with the world. The interdisciplinary projects she tackles straddle science, biology, chemistry, design and art.

Roberto Monti has taken over the role of CEO for Arper at the beginning of 2022 and since then has brought in a lot of dynamism. In this interview, he tells us in which direction he would like to lead the company and what significance sustainability has for him in this context.

The Metaverse provides a digital platform that is freely designed with the help of architecture, art, and design. In the following interview George Bileca, CEO of Voxel Architects – the first architecture practice in the Metaverse – outlines the benefits and tells us where the limits are.

Emma Olbers is a designer and sustainability strategist. As part of the upcoming Stockholm Furniture Fair, she is presenting the exhibition "Now or never 1kg CO2e" from 7 to 11 February 2023 on the invisible climate impact of our furniture. She explains the concept of the show in an interview.

Bas Smets – one of the most distinguished landscape architects of our day – tells us in this interview why though he is not optimistic when it comes to climate change, but we should not give up hope.

In her book “Schwarzer Rolli, Hornbrille” (Black Turtleneck, Round Glasses) Karin Hartmann highlights various aspects of the architecture profession and examines when, where and why women are at a disadvantage owing to systemic discrimination. In conversation, the author reveals why these questions must be asked and what gets lost because of this lack of perspectives.

Professor emeritus Dr. Uta Brandes is a design expert, theorist and author as well as the founder and chairwoman of iGDN – the international Gender Design Network e.V. As a pioneer, she has brought the topic of gender and design out of its academic niche. In an interview, she tells us what she feels is still lacking today.

The creative mind behind the project "An Improbable Future" wants to remain anoynm. We only do know this much: Mx is an industrial designer from New York whose work explores what the industrial and transport design of the future might look like if it is based on existing designs created by artificial intelligence.

We take it for granted that roads and cycle paths are built to get us from A to B as quickly as possible. But does this necessarily have to be the case? And what happens if we no longer make saving time the uppermost priority in transport planning? New approaches are what journalist Thalia Verkade is pursuing in her book Movement, which she wrote together with the “bicycle professor” Marco te Brömmelstroet.

Mona Makebrandt and Thomaz da Silva Lopes Vieira are the founders of ClipHut – a company offering a flexible wooden construction system that can be easily assembled and dismantled. With just a few elements it can be used to make houses, furniture, room dividers or trade fair stands. Thomaz da Silva Lopes Vieira explains the concept in this interview.

In September 2022 Bettina Bär took over as head of the Heimtextilien segment of Heimtextil. In this interview she tell us what appeals to her about her new task and what we can expect from the upcoming international trade fair for home and contract textiles in Frankfurt/Main.

How can craftsmanship draw inspiration from industry? Ceramic designer Charlotte Cigan and industrial designer Martin Duchêne of Studio Biskt address this question with works that are equally functional and individual.

By combining an interior design studio with its own workshops Holzrausch can offer holistically planned projects. Unique furniture and luminaire designs are regularly produced for these projects in cooperation with architects and designers – a selection is now available as editions in the Munich showroom. In this interview Tobias Petri and Sven Petzold give the publishers of Stylepark an insight into their work.

He works somewhere between design, sculpture and puppetry, says Simon Schmitz about his work as a luminaire designer. One thing is certain: The Berliner-by-choice is a tinkerer who stages light like a material.

Kim Colin and Sam Hecht from Studio Industrial Facility have reinterpreted the classic bentwood chair with the S 220 collection for Thonet. The result is a material-efficient moulded wood chair with a base made of tubular steel. Sam Hecht explains the idea to us in an interview.

In Hamburg alone, almost 19,000 people live without a home. What structures do big cities offer to help them? And what role does architecture play in this context? Until 12 March 2023, the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg is showing the exhibition "Who's Next? Homelessness, Architecture and the City". Curator Daniel Talesnik explains the concept to us in an interview.

With the One Forty West residential and hotel tower, MA Architekten have added a real eye-catcher to the Frankfurt skyline. Nevertheless, architect Andreas Moser sees the future of metropolises not in extreme flights of fancy, but in a more down-to-earth orientation. The Frankfurt-based building planner talks about value chains, borderline experiences and the overdue reorientation of our urban planning.

In Frankfurt am Main, Groß & Partner and Phoenix Real Estate are currently building the new "Grand Central Frankfurt" quarter in the station district. Part is the "Icoon" high-rise by Mecanoo Architecten, which will offer both socially subsidised housing and condominiums. Prof.ir. Dick Van Gameren, partner at Mecanoo, explains the concept in an interview.