MANILA, Philippines – Who is the Egyptian-English industrial designer who has created over 3,000 designs for interiors, fashion furniture, lighting, art, and music?
Known as the “poet of plastic,” he is best known for designing the Garbo waste can and “Oh” chair for Umbra, furniture for Artemide and Magis, as well as brand identity for Citibank and Hyundai.
He was born on September 18, 1960 in Cairo to Egyptian and English parents, but grew up in Canada, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada in 1982. He later completed his postgraduate studies in Italy.
Advocating a “democratic design” sensibility, he has long believed that high-quality design should be accessible to the masses. This means that these should not be limited to expensive, limited-run objects; and that an aspect of good design is that it should be appealing to most people.
Seeking to change the aesthetics of product design and the nature of consumer culture, his approach to design can be described as functional and holistic, aiming for the most simple, elegant shape that will effectively and ergonomically meet the requirements of an object’s purpose.
Given that, he is one of the most prolific designers of his generation. He has 3,000 designs in production, over 300 awards, and work in over 35 countries. He has designed objects for major brands including Alessi, Georg Jensen, Umbra, Kenzo, Pradam Issey Miyake, and Method.
His award-winning designs include democratic objects such as the ubiquitous Garbo waste can and Oh chair for Umbra; interiors such as the Morimoto Restaurant in Philadephia and the Semiramis Hotel in Athens; and exhibitions for Deutsche Bank and Audi.
He has also collaborated with clients to create democratic design for Method and Dirt Devil, furniture for Artemide and Magis, brand identity for Citibank and Hyundai, high-tech products for La Cie and Samsung, and luxury goods for Veuve Clicquot and Swarovski.
His work is featured in 20 permanent collections and he exhibits art in galleries worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Centre Pompidou in Paris.
He has written several books like Design Your Self, a guide to living; Digipop, a digital exploration of computer graphics; Evolution and How to Change the World, both monographs; and the International Design Yearbook.
Called the “Poet of Plastic” by Time magazine in its July 2, 2001 issue, he is a perennial winner of the Red Dot Award, Chicago Anthenaeum, the Good Design Award, i-D Magazine Annual Design Review, and IDSA Industrial Excellence Award.
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Last week’s question: Who is the American architect whose design has been selected for the master plan of the “Shenzhen 4 Tower in 1” and was named by Time magazine as America’s Best Architect for “buildings that satisfy the spirit as well as the eye”?
Answer: Steven Holl
Winner: Rosemarie Deuna of Antipolo City
Text your answer to 0905-3142614 with your name and address. One winner will be chosen through a raffle of texts with the correct answer. The winner will receive P2,000 worth of SM gift certificates for use at Our Home, SM Department Store, or SM Supermarket. They can claim their prize at Our Home in SM Megamall. Call the store manager at 634-1950, 634-1943. Bring photocopies of two valid IDs and a clipping of the Design Quiz issue in which you appear as winner.