MANILA, Philippines - Who is the German-born industrial designer most famous for creating the award winning Mobil container system for Kartell, as well as the interior concept for Smart Centres presenting the new Mercedes Benz/Swatch cars?
He was born in Leverkusen Germany in 1959 and graduated with a diploma in industrial design from the University of Wuppertal in 1985. Later moving to Milan where he received a master’s degree in design from the Domus Academy, he started collaborating with Antonio Citterio in 1987 and became a partner in 1990.
It was in Citterio’s office that he developed a large number of products for companies including Flos, Hackman, Iittala, Kartell, Vitra, and Vitrashop.
“Design isn’t just about style,” he said. “It’s about integrity of materials, functional integrity and intent. It is the result of dialogue between engineers, environmentalists, and the designer.”
This has clearly defined his work, and in 1995, he was awarded the Compasso d’Oro for the Kartell Mobil Containers; and today, the Battista folding table and the Mobil containers are part of the permanent exhibition of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
He also became active in the area of corporate design by creating a new corporate design image for Commerzbank branches in 1996. In 1998, he worked on the interior concept for Smart Centres, buildings and exhibition stands selling and presenting the new Mercedes Benz/Swatch car.
More recently, he designed the Think Chair, the first product ever to receive the Cradle to Cradle Product Certification from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC). Tested for up to 300 pounds, the Steelcase Think Chair is known for its intuitive personality and for being at the forefront of the movement towards sustainable, environmentally designed furniture.
The most significant aspect of the Think Chair is the synthesis of several differing fields and ideas. This is reflected in the lines of the chair, which are variegated and non-traditional.
Apart from his design work, he has been a professor for product design at the Hochscule fur bidende Kunste in Hamburg since 2000.
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Answer: Ferran Adria
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