nationality: German

I grew up in a rule area in Aachen, on the German border with the Netherlands and Belgium. My mother Dutch, my father German. Due the fact that my grandfathers were handicraft people I early got in touch with materials of all kinds and loved to make and create things. After school I was trained as a cabinet maker, then I studied design in Aachen and graduated with special honour. One year later I started as teacher in the university teaching product development. This helped to survive and pay the rent of the apartment for three years. During this time I started my first own projects with smaller German design labels like Details and Freiraum. After my first booklet mailing in year 1999 I got the focus of Habitat and Ligne Roset which were the first huge international companies I worked for and still doing until now.

After my presentation on Salone satellite in year 2001 things grow and grow. I have now since four years my own studio here in Hamburg where I moved to after my girlfriend was pregnant five years ago. Now I have a beautiful daughter who is talking the whole time when she is not sleeping. She and my Turkish wife who is working as a photo stylist teach me hard to love the colour pink and to be sure to go ahead with my business as strong as I can and support me as much as they can. Second baby arrived in summer 2007. Again a girl named Mavi su which means blue water in Turkish…

I really want to get on the top of the small brim of the roof of the design world. More or less because of the fact that I love to create new things and see them grow and help them learn walking etc. and I hope that when I have reach my goal that I can do things in all kind of directions and that they really like what I wanted them to and not to forget I want to hear my song in the radio!

Creating new designs is the result of a long distance process. I think it's not only about serving the demands of a client for a product he is looking for. For sure all this feedback from the briefing, up to the production, the market possibilities and the existing collection of a company are very much in focus during the process but the personal touch you give as the designer, lets say as the father into something, is the soul of a product later on. This makes it successful in the market or not because the people, the client get touched by this special thing which they are not able to name. We in our world as designers are creating thing where is no need for. We are not creating life needed things. So those items are must to have and not need to have.

There has to be something more between a chair just to sit on and a one which is called design piece. Sometimes it's possible to make this line very flexible as well, then I think it's perfect when a daily used piece is so well designed that nobody notice it as a designers piece. Let's say it clearly a design from me is something which grow up deep in me and all information, pictures, images, thing which happened to and around me are in a way included or bring me at the end to the point to do it like I did it.
 

Michael Koenig studio is doing all kind of design projects in fields of furniture, accessory, lighting and interior design in all kinds of materials and technologies

Actual things are going like a rocket since this year. I just finished a very nice and my first huge interior project with 700 square meters over 4th floors here in Hamburg where I did all the furnitures and lightings. But it is really nice a office between a working, lounging meeting atmosphere for a software developing company. I'm looking very much forward to do more stuff like this, because it's very nice to create a whole thing.
 

In your häng rum you should feel like this bee...

Do you think that having a distinctive style is important?
I think, and maybe you can notice from the difference between my work in the beginning and now, that everything is in motion. I don't like that people are doing always the same thing only because of the fact that if works once. Take the music business for example: there are a lot of artists who are developing themselves throught their lifetime, to name a few Madonna, U2 etc. Maybe sometimes go in a wrong direction but move on and always reflect upon what they are doing. To answer your question: never lose your roots, but keep on going!

How do you keep up with current trends in design?
Keep your eyes open and look around. There is so much information all around. For me, music, music videos, fashion, how women are dressed, what my daughter is talking about, and what of her things is a must etc are all inspirational.

How much does technology influence your work?
That depends. Thank God for e-mail, internet, rapid prototyping, laser cutting systems and whatever. They are good tools and help to achieve a resut as soon, as cheap and as good as possible. But at the most they are only of help. The design is not getting much better through this. So my work is influenced by technolgoy but my design not necessarily. In a word, all kinds of technology and material possibilities are influencing my work in a way and then I mix them with my design key.

What part of your work do you find most demanding?
To work out the projects. Getting in touch with a company, travelling, and searching for ideas are my favorite parts. The working out process can be a nightmare. I try to protect my projects and hope that at the end there's something that has to do as much as possible with my first basic easy idea.

Which of your skills would you most like to perfect?
To learn to be more patient even when I'm thinnking that it's not good to reach a goal. Sometimes a lot of patience is needed and that drives me crazy from time to time, so it would be of great help to learn to be patient.

How do you see your work evolving in the next five years?
It will grow up step by step, maybe with a bigger structure, maybe with different studio locations all around the world, maybe...It all depends on whom I will meet, when and where we meet, and what will be the results out of it. I'm open-minded. I'll do my thing all the time. In five years I'll be 40 years old and I would like to be in total core of this business at that time.

Has globalisation changed the way you work?
Yes. More possibilities, more chances, and more competition.

German industrial desing is well known in the world, not only German cars, but also other daily items. They are also popular in China. What's the difference do you notice between your German clients and Chinese clients?
Actually, I'm working for the worlwide market, such as international companies in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Japan and China, and for sure others will come in addition. It's always a new situation with a new client in a new country. It's very interesing to understand their way of working, living, their cultural background and so on, which influences my work a lot. I would say that you come across difference everywhere even between the north and the south in Germany. I love to experience differences, which is challenging and inspiring.

What do you think of Chinese industrial design?
There are a lof of products in the Chinese market that are too temporary in quality and design. I think you can notice it from the prices of the products that have been made in a a quick and fast way. It's very difficult to break through this circle, but you can see that it starts getting better, a step away from the cheap mass production.

What kind of advice would you like to give to chinese designers?
Don't lose your rooots by running behind the western style world. It is not the goal to reach just to be the same. Try to breathe all the influence from the history and tradition into a modern self.

What do you think is the relationship between industrial design and daily life?
As we use industrial design products all around the clock, from waking up until going to bed, I think there's a very close relationship between industrial design and our daily life. In the past a product was only a product, while nowadays it's an elaborately designed piece of work. In the past the handicraft company producted what they developed by themselves for a special use, while nowadays there's much more people involved and the demands are much more clearly defined.

Does German govenrment give support to national industrial design?
I think so. There are supporting programs and there are international projects that I know for myself are supported by the government. I have to thank my hometown Hamburg for a lot of support which made it possible for me in the beginning to attend exhibitions and fairs in Italy and Japan as well. If you're willing and have enough passion, you will be supported for sure for everything you want. However, from time to time you have to find your own way and to fight for it!

 From Design 360º, China

Simple summer spaghetti

A really simple, quick and amazingly tasty pasta dish which always hits the spot and will impress your mates. Try baking some fish filets over the herby tomatoes... it's fantastic.

In a large bowl, scrunch the tomatoes with your hands to slightly mush them. Mix in the olives, garlic and vinegar. Tear in the basil and marjoram leaves and pour in the olive oil. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Cook your pasta in salted boiling water according to the packet instructions until al dente. Drain and quickly toss in with the tomatoes.

Call your guests around the table, then taste the juice at the bottom of the bowl and adjust the seasoning if you feel it needs it. Serve right away.