DEE 4

Édito Une trentaine de conférences de designers invités et autant de catalogues monographiques s’y rapportant à ce jour, voilà un nombre clé qui nous a permis d’asseoir notre activité dans le domaine de l’édition. Nombre qui se réfère également à autant de portraits de protagonistes du design contemporain, domaine que nous, Design Friends, tentons depuis nos débuts de cartographier à coups de cœur mais aussi de choix évidents.

Mais pas seulement. Depuis la création de Design Friends en 2009, nous avons fait le pari de l’édition : certes par passion du graphisme et du bel objet imprimé, mais le parti pris de garder une trace écrite, visuelle et durable y a aussi son mot à dire. Au fil des publications, nous avons voulu raconter une certaine histoire, certes sélective, du design par l’entremise du regard des guest designers internationaux et de leurs parcours inspirants. En complément et à un rythme annuel, le DEE Magazine propose des analyses d’experts à propos du design et de sa relation avec la société d’aujourd’hui.

Ceci est déjà la quatrième édition de DEE Magazine.

Au menu, une rétrospective illustrant des identités visuelles phares d’institutions locales ainsi qu’un portrait-hommage d’un designer d’exception qui nous permettent de mettre en perspective le design « luxembourgeois » dans ses dimensions historiques et internationales. Ce chapitre posera un premier jalon d’un projet de recherche relatif à l’évolution du design, recherche qui mènera à l’élaboration d’une exposition d’envergure prévue en 2016. L’entame d’un tel projet devrait ouvrir de nouvelles perspectives d’avenir pour notre association. De fait, au-delà de l’organisation d’activités culturelles, celle-ci devrait amener ainsi une réflexion prospective sur une thématique encore peu étudiée : l’histoire du design au Luxembourg.

Dans un pays où le design peine aujourd’hui encore, aux yeux de beaucoup, à se draper d’un esprit d’innovation et de développement, il s’impose presque naturellement d’aller « voir ce qui se fait ailleurs » et d’y trouver une certaine inspiration : un article sur les stratégies européennes d’inclusion du design comme facteur d’innovation éclaire sur le sujet.

L’aspect tactile de ce DEE Magazine est également mis à contribution. En effet, un changement subtil de papier se fera remarquer sur le bout des doigts pour y découvrir un volet consacré à Design Friends, aux activités que l’on a pu organiser en synergie avec les institutions culturelles partenaires au cours de la saison écoulée ainsi qu’à nos projets à venir. Dans l’ensemble, un soin particulier a été accordé à la mise en page graphique de ce magazine dont le but aura été de réaliser un objet collector… quoi de plus naturel donc que de nous tourner, encore une fois, vers le(s) papier(s) qui nous paraît la monture idéale pour porter le récit de nos ambitions.

Nadine Clemens, présidente Mike Koedinger, vice-président

C’est un exercice aussi difficile qu’important. Il faut comprendre le tout pour arriver à l’essentiel, puis réussir à l’exprimer. C’est un exercice dont l’importance est souvent sous-estimée, c’est un enjeu périlleux pour toute organisation, entreprise ou institution.

Dans les pages qui suivent, nous célébrons quatorze organisations qui ont réussi à marquer nos esprits. Nous présentons quatorze identités visuelles d’entreprises et d’institutions luxembourgeoises. Du Beurre Rose à la Rockhal, en passant par RTL Plus, on se rend compte que les outils, aussi, ont évolué.

Cette première sélection n’est qu’un teasing. Un titillement de votre curiosité pour vous annoncer qu’en été 2016, une grande exposition présentera L’évolution des identités visuelles des entreprises et institutions au Luxembourg aux Rotondes.

03. DEE No.4 —Parcours d’identités

PARCOURS D’IDENTITÉS

Toute jeune nation, le Luxembourg continue à s’intéresser à son identité.

D’abord en 1989, lors du 150e anniversaire de son indépendance, puis à nouveau aujourd’hui, dans le cadre du projet de nation branding. Si, il y a plus d’un quart de siècle, on s’intéressait avant tout à l’histoire du pays et à la compréhension de l’âme du peuple, on cherche aujourd’hui à réussir à l’exprimer. Verbalement, et visuellement.

04. DEE No.4 — Parcours d’identités

CACTUS

Identité visuelle réalisée pour Cactus.

Agence : Interpub.

05. DEE No.4 —Parcours d’identités

CARGOLUX

Identité visuelle réalisée pour Cargolux.

Designer : Karl Kodar, directeur artistique chez Interpub.

06. DEE No.4 — Parcours d’identités

EPPELPRESS

Identité visuelle réalisée pour Eppelpress.

Designers : Tom Gloesener et Silvano Vidale, VidaleGloesener. 2008.

07. DEE No.4 —Parcours d’identités

FISCHER

Identité visuelle réalisée pour Fischer.

Designer : Will Kreutz.

08. DEE No.4 — Parcours d’identités

BEURRE ROSE

Identité visuelle réalisée pour Luxlait.

Agence : Interpub.

09. DEE No.4 —Parcours d’identités

ROCKHAL

Identité visuelle réalisée pour Centre de Musiques Amplifiées – Rockhal.

Designers : Tom Gloesener et Silvano Vidale, VidaleGloesener. 2005.

10. DEE No.4 — Parcours d’identités

RTL PLUS

Identité visuelle réalisée en interne sur une idée de Daniel Vinkowski en 1987.

Logo utilisé du 1er janvier 1988 au 30 octobre 1992.

11. DEE No.4 —Parcours d’identités

MONOPOL

Identité visuelle réalisée pour les magasins Monopol Scholer. Designer et date de création (encore) inconnus*.

Logo revisité par Will Kreutz en 2012 à l’occasion de Goodbye Monopol. * Aidez-nous à retrouver l’auteur du logo !

12. DEE No.4 — Parcours d’identités

BCEE

Identité visuelle réalisée pour la Banque et Caisse d’Épargne de l’État.

Agence : Interpub. 1991.

13. DEE No.4 —Parcours d’identités

FONDS KIRCHBERG

Identité visuelle réalisée pour le Fonds Kirchberg.

Designers : Tom Gloesener et Silvano Vidale, VidaleGloesener. 2010.

14. DEE No.4 — Parcours d’identités

POLL - FABAIRE

Identité visuelle réalisée pour les crémants Poll-Fabaire.

Designer : Will Kreutz.

15. DEE No.4 —Parcours d’identités

ENOVOS

Identité visuelle réalisée pour Enovos.

Designers : Tom Gloesener et Silvano Vidale, VidaleGloesener. 2009.

16. DEE No.4 — Parcours d’identités

KASEMATTENTHEATER

Identité visuelle réalisée pour Kasemattentheater.

Agence : Interpub.

17. DEE No.4 —Parcours d’identités

MARYLAND

Maryland, calendrier pin-up de 1958.

Source : archives Heintz van Landewyck, Luxembourg.

Interview by —Angelina A. Rafii

19. DEE No.4 —Isabel Roig

Building a framework for European Design

Europe has always had a reputation for being design-forward but this is often associated with the old idea one has of design, one that concerns itself with mere aesthetics. For some years now, a number of organisations have laboured to stress the importance of design as a tool for innovation and a catalyst for competitive growth. As such, design has been fully integrated into the EU’s innovation strategy since 2010 with 15 of the 28 member states having included design in their national innovation plans.

Here we speak with Isabel Roig, former president of BEDA, the Bureau of European Design Associations, who has heralded a number of these endeavours and initiatives.

20. DEE No.4 —Isabel Roig

Could you talk to us a little bit about yourself and how you came into your presidency at BEDA? I am the CEO of BCD Barcelona Design Centre since 2000; this is my fulltime job. And I was president of BEDA from March 2013 until just recently in June 2015, after being vice-president for two years.

With degrees in both Tourism Business Administration and Marketing, how did you find your way into heading two important Design institutions?

Promoting design value to businesses and governments needs big doses of strategic marketing. Now I am a design activist! We also promote Barcelona, as a fantastic city to live and work in, and design has a lot to do with it.

What would you say was your primary mission as president of BEDA? The president, together with the vicepresident and nine board members run the association. During my presidency we were working on the BEDA Strategic Policy Plan for 2021, which was presented to the members at the last General Assembly in Milano at the beginning of June.

Last year, we ran for a European Call from the Directorates General of the European Commission Culture, under the Creative Europe Programme.

We subsequently won the call and launched a 3-year programme co-funded by the European Commission with the aim of strengthening the BEDA network and its members and to fulfil the strategic objectives of the organisation.

What milestones would you mention for BEDA since its inception in 1969?

There are many, of course. But the most

recent ones I can think of are meeting with the Commission President José Manuel Barroso in 2007; the inclusion of design in the innovation policy for Europe, the Innovation Union; the launch of the European Design Innovation Initiative with the aim to support design projects for an amount of 10 million euro, and the Action Plan on Design Driven Innovation.

Could you walk us through the EU initiatives in terms of design?

The European Design Innovation Initiative, the Creative Europe Programme, the Action Plan on Design Driven Innovation and the Horizon 2020 Programme are the ones taking design on board.

What are the aims of each of these programmes and initiatives you mentioned and more significantly why do you think they are important?

They are important because they position design at the core of the main European policies on innovation, research and the creative industries.

What is the current state of affairs in design in the EU in general?

BEDA’s vision is for design to be em– braced in Europe as a driver of growth and prosperity. In that sense, BEDA maintains a permanent dialogue with the European Commission and its DG’s [Directorates General of the European Commission] regarding the inclusion of design in EU policies for innovation, culture and education, research, environment, etc.

The European Design Leadership Board, with both the president and the vice-president of BEDA as part of it, has been working on proposals to the European Commission about the role of design. The 21 recommendations

21. DEE No.4 —Isabel Roig

“Design can improve citizens’ lives; can transform public services and businesses, offering better user experiences.

With design methodologies we can address the major challenges we are facing today such as an ageing population, healthcare systems, sustainable economic models, environmental challenges, jobs creation and so on.”

22. DEE No.4 —Isabel Roig

can be found in the document Design for Growth & Prosperity.

This year, the European Commission is reviewing the package for the Circular Economy strategy and BEDA is aiming to exert some influence on the role of design in Circular Economy. We are preparing a BEDA Position Paper on this topic, which will be launched in July.

That’s the vision of BEDA, but what is the current landscape of design in Europe today?

I don’t really have all the data points that would allow me to compare one country to another in Europe. But what I can say is that design is a hot topic everywhere. Whether it’s in Europe, Japan, North or South America.

Can you tell us more about how BEDA thinks design can have a positive impact on Cir­ cular Economy, and if you cannot share BEDA’s position as of yet, what are some of your ideas on the subject?

BEDA believes that it is important to strengthen the role of design in public policies that boost Circular Economy, both in product and services. And that it’s important to create new circular business models.

The amount of resources and energy used by a product during its entire lifetime are directly determined during the design phase. This is why ecodesign strategies are so important.

Last year the Commission published a Circular Economy package, and some legislative proposals for reviewing recycling and other waste-related targets in the EU. Both mentioned the role of design in order to enlarge the useful life of products and their recyclability.

The European Commission officially withdrew these policies in March 2015 with the commitment of approving a new package by the end of the year. A wide stakeholder consultation has been announced, and BEDA is willing to participate in this process.

How are design strategies tackled in the different nation states across Europe?

BEDA has 45 members. They consist of promotional entities and professional and trade associations in 21 member states. Plus Switzerland, Norway, Turkey and Serbia. Obviously, the situation is diverse in each of these 25 countries, some have Design Policies, others have design embedded

in different policies, some members have support from Economic or Trade Ministries, others from Culture, some from national governments, others from regions or cities.

Do you find that the source of the support has an influence on the end result? To clarify: do you think it makes a dif­ ference whether design initi­ atives are more successful if they are supported by Culture versus Economic or Trade Ministries?

It depends on the objectives of each initiative. Design is transversal, so it is not a question of better or worse, but about the aim and the audience of what we want to achieve with a programme or project.

How open and understanding is the public in regards to design? Are there any cultural differences in what makes one country more in tune with design than another? Scandi­ navian countries, for example, tend to have a more design forward reputation?

Yes, there are cultural differences among the 25 countries according to their tradition of design and creativity, and how embedded design is in society.

When you talk about design being embedded in society – what are the catalysts: edu­ cation, tradition or some­thing else?

Education and tradition for sure.

In your experience as someone who has worked as a product and brand manager, what are some of the experiences you can think of which proved that making sound design choices and integrating design man­ agement was good for busi­ ness?

We have a very good local example, Lékué, a company that reinvented itself through a great design strategy with the help of a local design agency, Nomon Design, and now they are selling in more than 70 countries around the world, with a turnover of around 28 million euro.

In your experience interacting with the political class, what arguments do you have to make for decision-makers to come on board and under­ stand that it can have a posi­ tive impact both politically

and economically to embrace design?

Design can improve citizens’ lives; can transform public services and businesses, offering better user experiences.

With design methodologies we can address the major challenges we are facing today such as an ageing population, healthcare systems, sustainable economic models, environmental challenges, jobs creation and so on.

Certainly on a more micro level, entrepreneurs may think that implementing design strate­ gies will cost both time and money without having guar­ antees as to its efficiency?

Losing customers or users of products or services that don’t provide a great experience is most expensive at long term.

If design associations in dif­ ferent countries want to have an impact at the political level, what should they be doing and what language should they be speaking?

Each region, country or territory has to know which are their strengths and their weaknesses and try to address these and make proposals. You can learn from other countries and look at what they have done and compare but in the final end it really depends on the assets of each region and country.

Here we can talk about the Smart Specialisation strategy. It’s a new way that the European Commission has adopted to distribute structural funds to the countries. So what they have asked all the regions is to do an exercise where they list which are their strengths, and then make proposals and strategies on how to spend the structural funds on that basis.

So it’s not about what I want to do, but rather what I can do based on the assets of my region.

Design organisations have to adapt depending on their challenges. It’s also about how they get organised, how they are funded. It’s difficult since normally they are not-for-profit organisations, but because they are working with public programmes they need public funding, so it’s really a mixture. Sometimes it’s a very complex mixture. Because they are doing public things but also private things. The modus operandi in these organisations is often difficult because they lack the resources and they have to find a way to make it work.

EU funding

Mentoring & subsidy support (private sector) — 12 programmes in 2014: ReDesign (AT, HU), SME Wallet (Flanders, BE), Design for Competitiveness (CZ), Design Boost (DK), Design Bulldozer (EE), Design Feelings (FI), Design Innovation Tax Credits (FR), Extraversion (EL), Design Business Profit (PL), Design Leadership (UK)

Policy — Design policies in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France & Latvia — Design in innovation policies (15 EUMS in 2014) — Smart Specialisation strategies (9 regions in 2014) — Action Plan for Design-driven Innovation (European Commission, 2013) — Innovation Union (EC, 2010) — Ecodesign Directive (EC, 2009)

Mentoring support (public sector)

Government

— Design of Public Services (EE), Public Services by Design (UK), Supporting Public Sector Innovation in European Regions (Flanders, Northern France, Western Ireland & Wales)

— MindLab (DK), Experio (SE), Government Digital Service & Cabinet Office Policy Lab (UK) — European Commission Interservice Group for Design — European Design Leadership Board

— Horizon 2020, European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund, Euro Research Council — € Design – Measuring Design Value (European Commission) — IDeALL – Integrating Design for All in Living Labs (EC) — EHDM – European House of Design Management (EC) — SEE Platform – Sharing Experience Europe – Policy Innovation Design (EC) — DeEP – Design in European Policies (EC) — REDI – When Regions support Entrepreneurs and Designers to Innovate (EC) — Design for Europe – European Design Innovation Platform (EC) — SPIDER – Supporting Public Service Innovation using Design in European Regions (INTERREG IVB) — PROUD - People Researchers Organisations Using Design for co-creation and innovation (INTERREG IVB) — DAA – Design-led Innovations for Active Ageing (INTERREG IVC)

National funding — Tax credits & innovation vouchers

Centres — In 2014, 18 EUMS had a design centre

Networks — BEDA – Bureau of European Design Associations (46 members in 2014) — SND – Service Design Network — ERRIN – European Regional Research & Innovation Network — ICSID – International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (153 in 2014 globally) — CUMULUS – International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design & Media — ICO-D – International Council of Design — DME – Design Management Europe — EIDD – Design for All Europe — ENEC – European Network of Ecodesign Centres — ECIA – European Creative Industries Alliance — UEAPME – European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprise

Actors Support

Policy & Government

Funding Research

EU Design Innovation ecosystem Users

Research

— CUMULUS – International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design & Media — Design Research Network — Design Research Society — UK Arts and Humanities

Knowledge exchange

Promotion

— Knowledge transfer partnerships between academia and Industry

Education

Designers

Initiatives

— Companies using design strategically: Austria 9%, Denmark 23%, Estonia 7%, France 15%, Ireland 15% & Sweden 22%

— Design weeks, festivals, exhibitions, campaigns, museums, trade missions, conferences, awards, social media & publications (28 EUMS have design promotion activities) — ICSID World Design Capitals (Turin 2008, Helsinki 2012) — UNESCO Cities of Design (Bilbao, Dundee, Helsinki, Turin in 2014) — ERRIN Design Days — Design for Europe (European Design Innovation Platform) & European Design Innovation Initiative

Public sector — National government investment in design: Denmark 0.0016% of GDP, Estonia 0.0199%, Finland 0.0032% & UK 0.0006%

Awards — Red Dot Award, iF (International Forum Design) Design Award, Design Management Europe Award, Index Award, European Design

Higher Education Institutions — In 2014, 38 top design schools in EUMS including 9 in Italy, 5 in France, 4 in the Netherlands, 3 in Denmark, Portugal, Sweden & the UK, 2 in Germany & Spain, 1 in Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland & Slovenia — In 2014, 20,000 students at top 38 design schools.

— CUMULUS – International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design & Media

EU design sector — Approx. 410,000 professionally-trained designers in Europe, generating an annual turnover of €36 billion (EU Design Action Plan, 2013) — Design Industry Insights (UK, 2005, 2010, 2015)

Sector support — Professional Standards for Design (BE, EE, UK)

23. DEE No.4 —Isabel Roig

Private sector

One way is through the Creative Europe programme which aims at helping the cultural and creative sectors seize the opportunities of the digital age and globalisation; enabling the sectors reach their economic potential, contributing to sustainable growth, jobs, and social cohesion and giving Europe’s culture and media sectors access to new international opportunities, markets, and audiences.

When BEDA talks about imp­ lem­e nting design thinking in political policies. What does that mean concretely especially since the associa­ tions that are represented by BEDA cover a wide spectrum and may have different tar­ geted agendas (from indus­ trial design to interior design and graphic design). How do you find a common voice?

Each member has its own political agenda according to the priorities of its country or region, but in general terms they include: promoting design as a tool for user-centred policy-making and integrating design processes into strategy and planning within local,

regional and national public authorities.

As far as the common voice, the associations are represented by board members who work to implement design policies. Once these policies are adopted it is up to each member state to apply them regionally. So what Europe proposes is then up to each member state to implement in their own countries.

Sometimes it’s not so evident.

To give you an example, in 2009 we were able to include a code for design (74.10) in the Statistical Classification of Economic Activities in the European Community. But only 8 out of the 25 member states are actually using this code, because in the final end it’s up to their national statistical agencies to decide whether they want to implement or not.

How does BEDA engage the political class in understand­ ing that design is an impor­ tant tool for change?

Demonstrating by example what design can achieve for economic, social, cultural and political good. This is part of our action plan.

What are some of the impor­ tant goals of BEDA going for­

Terminologies explained

24. DEE No.4 —Isabel Roig

Denmark it seems has been successful because it has sev­ eral strategies and programmes running simultaneously. So the overall outcome has been more positive because it has more horses in the race so to speak.

Well it all depends; there are many examples of programmes that have been successful with public funding and others that have been less successful. Some countries also clearly get more support from their governments.

In the UK for example they have had and still have a lot of support from public money. Here in Barcelona, we don’t have that support for example.

But we are running other programmes.

In Asian countries also they have a lot of public money. Korea for example has always had a lot of money from the government to run design policies.

How we measure this success is complicated sometimes.

Sometimes it’s through economic promotion agencies but focused on design, which is my case. We deal with what design can do for businesses but also for public services. In terms of social and public affairs, being involved in the city council and in the government. So it’s not only restricted to one area, but it’s design as a transversal way of dealing with challenges and problems and finding solutions for many different initiatives. Basically, there’s not one recipe.

You can’t necessarily apply what works in Denmark in Cataluña. It all depends.

Another example is Silicon Valley, which is focusing a lot on design. They are introducing design and buying design agencies.

So one might think “Ok, maybe this is a good moment and can serve as inspiration to my policy makers here. If Silicon Valley was a good example five years ago for a very technological approach, maybe it can be a good inspiration for more design-driven initiatives.”

We are always looking at what others are doing, but then you have to adapt what others are doing to the situation in your own country. Of course with more money you can do more things and reach a larger audience.

In what ways has the EU act­ ually been leading and can it be a key player in the world­ wide creative industries. And where does it lag behind in comparison to other nations and geographic areas?

Creative Europe Programme Creative Europe is the new Euro­ pean Union programme for the cultural and creative sectors, set to last until 2020. It has a budget of €1.46 billion.

European Networks Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency.

services. The same for public services.

We are all users and we want to have a good experience, whether it’s in transport or health services, etc. And finally all of these ideas have to be incorporated into policy making.

You have talked about BEDA’s role, some of the goals of the organisation, some of its mile­ stones and achievements in implementing design thinking into political policies. But in dealing with the Commission and trying to get some of your objectives through what have the challenges been that you have had to face? Where have you found opposition?

Policy issues take time, changes are not implemented from one day to another.

The European Commission is a big and complex organisation. This is why we have an action plan with short-term and long-term proposals. As an example, the € Design – Measuring Design Value project that, I mentioned before, ended with a proposal of questions about the impact of design to be introduced in the Community Innovation Survey which measures innovation across all member states.

Innovation Union Innovation Union is the EU strategy to create an innova­ tion-friendly environment that will allow ideas to be more readily turned into growthenhancing products and ideas.

Action Plan on Design Driven Innovation The EU’s action plan on exploit­ ing design’s full potential to increase innovation, growth and job creation.

But this is not immediate. The decision of accepting our proposal has to be taken

by Eurostat and the OECD and that will take time and effort.

One of the main challenges of implementing design strat­ egies is the idea that it’s diffi­ cult to measure the drivers and ROI. What are your thoughts on the subject?

There are many researches and a lot of literature about the topic. The Danish Design Ladder has become a reference framework for investigating companies’ use of and spending on design. Overall, companies that invested in design register a growth in gross revenues almost 22% higher compared to companies in general.

Mr Rhea, president of LPK design firm, once mentioned that you need three main ingredients to establish des­ ign strategies in companies: a visionary leadership, collabo­ rative culture and a willing­ ness to invest. What would you add to this mix?

A willingness to provide great experiences to the end users.

Horizon 2020 Programme Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, it is the big­ gest EU Research and Innovation programme with €80 billion of funding available over 7 years (2014 to 2020).

Circular Economy The Commission’s aim to present a new, more ambitious Circular Economy strategy late, to trans­ form Europe into a more com­ petitive resource-efficient economy, addressing a range of economic sectors, including waste.

25. DEE No.4 —Isabel Roig

ward and what do you think should be on each nation’s design agenda?

BEDA has 5 strategic objectives in its Strategic Policy Plan to 2021.

The idea of understanding the value of design is really important because it means leaving behind the obsolete idea that design is only related to aesthetics or furniture and objects. That’s a very narrow vision. So understanding what design can do for social, for economic and cultural needs is crucial. The other idea is that the design sector we have has to be updated. There has to be permanent training. In Europe the design sector is mainly formed by micro organisations and small companies, with some exceptions in the UK and elsewhere. They need to prepare and strengthen their capacities to meet these future needs. If design is going to be everywhere we will need a lot of designers, working for governments and public services. Then of course you need to build this capacity amongst businesses so that they understand that they have to invest in design. They have to understand that design methodologies can help them provide better products and

同样是关于距离的对话 Auch ein Gespräch über Distanz

C O L B A C H

Das Gespräch führte —Hans Fellner

Alle Fotos —Peter Le

27. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

M A R C

28. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

Der Luxemburger Architekt 建筑师 und Designer 设计师 Marc Colbach lebt und arbeitet seit 2001 in China. In 2011 hat er sein eigenes Büro AMC interiors & architecture mit Standort Beijing gegründet.

Wir wollen von ihm erfahren, wie es einem geht, der von einem der kleinsten Länder in das größte und bevölkerungsreichste der Welt gegangen ist. Wie er sich mit europäischem Gepäck in einer großen Kultur, 文化 einer noch immer wirklich „anderen“ installiert hat.

Trotz der und vielleicht auch gerade durch die teils kritischen Antworten auf kritische Fragen vermittelt Marc Colbach das Bild einer außerordentlich spannenden und dynamischen Situation, privat und beruflich.

Er erzählt uns von den Möglichkeiten an der Globalisierung teilzuhaben.

朋友

Hast Du manchmal Heimweh?

Natürlich habe ich hier meine Familie und Freunde. Aber Heimweh, nein, ich bin schließlich aus freien Stücken und großem Interesse, eine andere Kultur kennenzulernen, nach China gegangen. Ich hatte eine Börse für ein Jahr und entschied mich ohne Umschweife zu bleiben.

家庭

Kann man noch etwas von den Arbeiten aus Deiner Luxem­ burger Zeit, also aus den 90er Jahren, sehen?

Schwer zu beantworten, das ist ja wirklich lange her und ich muss gestehen, dass ich nie die Runde gemacht habe, das nachzuverfolgen. Außerdem spielte sich ja vieles im Innenbereich ab.

建筑

Dann lassen wir diese Fragen doch mal beiseite. Wie war Dein beruflicher Werdegang?

Bereits während meines Studiums habe ich Architektur nicht nur als das Entwerfen und Bauen von Häusern gesehen, sondern als Ausgangspunkt für Gestaltung in der ganzen Breite. Ich habe mich damals, nur als Beispiel, auch mit Fotografie oder Glasbläserei beschäftigt.

Die berufliche Richtung ist dann eher die Innenarchitektur und das ent-

29. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

Welche ist die häufigste Frage, die man Dir hier stellt?

Wie ist China, wie ist es in China, also Fragen über die man drei Tage sprechen könnte!

设计

员工 书面语言 客户

30. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

空间

sprechende Design geworden. Zunächst habe ich als Angestellter in verschiedenen Sparten und an verschiedenen Orten gearbeitet, eben auch länger noch in Luxemburg. Seit 2001 bin ich dann fest in China gelandet und verankert.

Wie klappt es in Beijing mit der Sprache? Lost in translation?

Das war am Anfang natürlich nicht einfach, da ich aber dort in meinem ersten Job als Angestellter nur unter Chinesen war, die kein Englisch sprachen, habe ich es dann doch zu einer guten Alltagstauglichkeit gelernt. Lesen geht ein wenig, das Schreiben ist eine andere Sache. Ich schreibe manchmal phonetisch auf meinem Smartphone, das es dann in chinesische Schriftsprache übersetzt.

Mir fällt bei einigen Bildern Dei­ nes Portfolios auf, dass dort eine andere Raumauffassung zu sehen ist, als wir es aus Europa kennen. Ist das schon eine chi­ nesische Eigenart?

Unsere Kunden verteilen sich zu gleichen Teilen auf ausländische und chinesische Auftraggeber. Es gibt in China insgesamt noch andere Standards, es ist mehr Raum vorhanden, sowohl im Privaten als auch etwa im Büro-Bereich.

Gleichzeitig ist zu große Nähe traditionell nicht erwünscht, jeder braucht seinen eigenen Raum, also eine gewisse Distanz ist auch bei unseren Realisierungen zu respektieren.

Nebenfrage: Wie funktioniert denn diesbezüglich der öffentli­ che Raum?

Es passiert tatsächlich häufig, dass man als Fußgänger Zusammenstöße hat, weil jeder immer geradeaus und den kürzesten Weg nimmt, dabei wenig aufschaut.

Es herrscht einfach insgesamt eine andere Auffassung von Raum, speziell auch den Raum den man für sich nutzt.

Es gibt nicht die in anderen Kulturen geübte Rücksicht oder Vorausschau beim Bewegen.

Da haben wir dann doch einen grundsätzlichen Unterschied.

Genau das ist auch an der Architektur nachvollziehbar. Bislang hatten viele sich nicht die Frage gestellt, wie ein Weg oder eine Lösung verbessert, verschönert oder angenehmer gestaltet werden kann. Überspitzt gesagt: Es stand nur die einfache, gerade und schnellste

分开的

冲击

31. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

Fotos von politischen Treffen in China zeigen ja auch immer große Sessel mit Abstand zum Gesprächspartner.

Eine Terrasse wie etwa in Paris, wo jeder 50 cm zur Verfügung hat, wäre in China nicht möglich. Restaurants in China brauchen immer abgetrennte oder klar abgegrenzte Bereiche um die grundsätzlich gewünschte Diskretion zu erreichen.

Nur ganz langsam setzen sich in den Großstädten shared tables in Cafés und Restaurants durch.

32. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

当我看到你作品集里的图片, 我意识到中西方对于空间 的概念是不一样的。 这是中国的特点吗?

Mir fällt bei einigen Bildern Deines Portfolios auf, dass dort eine andere Raumauffassung zu sehen ist, als wir es aus Europa kennen. Ist das schon eine chinesische Eigenart?

中国和国际市场都有我们 的客户。在中国, 标准是不 同的: 总体来讲, 总有更多 的空间可以利用, 就像办公 区的私人空间一样。同时, 不推荐肢体上的接触, 每个 人需要他们自己的空间。 这就是为什么我们的设计 中需要尊重并保持一定的 距离。

Unsere Kunden verteilen sich zu glei­ chen Teilen auf ausländische und chinesische Auftraggeber. Es gibt in China insgesamt noch andere Stan­ dards, es ist mehr Raum vorhanden, sowohl im Privaten als auch etwa im Büro-Bereich. Gleichzeitig ist zu große Nähe traditionell nicht erwünscht, jeder braucht seinen eigenen Raum, also eine gewisse Distanz ist auch bei unseren Realisierungen zu res­ pektieren.

01

01

02

图片 Fotos 01 02 03 04

Villa 2014 Jing-A - Micro Beer Brewery 2014 Henkel & Schwarzkopf Office & Training Space 2012 Bottega - Italian Restaurant 2014

04

33. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

03

34. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

01

01

02

02

图片 Fotos 01 Jiu Gu - Porcelain Retail 2012 02 Prime - Media Office 2013 03 MIK International Kindergarten 2014

03

Bewegung von A nach B im Focus. Aber wenn man dies einmal als grundsätzliches Prinzip erkannt hat, kann man damit als Architekt arbeiten. Ein Vorteil ist dabei, dass diese Gradlinigkeit sich in anderer Form ganz positiv im Arbeitsleben und auch innerhalb meiner Mannschaft manifestiert.

Bist Du noch ein Ausnahmefall oder gibt es viele Europäer, die direkt in China arbeiten?

Natürlich gibt es noch andere, China ist außerdem ziemlich groß! Als ich anfing gab es bereits etliche, von denen einige inzwischen große Firmen steuern. Der Markt ist riesig aber trotzdem begrenzt und die Konkurrenz wird allmählich deutlich spürbar.

35. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

文化角度

Wie ist die Struktur Deines Bü­ros?

Wir sind zur Zeit 15 Personen. Ich habe nur chinesische Mitarbeiter und das wird wohl auch so bleiben. Wenn ich zum Beispiel einen Ausländer engagieren würde, der über keinerlei China-Erfahrung verfügt, wäre ich nur damit beschäftigt ihn „kulturell“ anzulernen und zu coachen. Es gibt hier lokal mittlerweile sehr viele gute Designer, die motiviert und offen sind. Das Problem mit der Wellenlänge stellt sich insofern auch nicht mehr. Es gab ein paar Versuche mit Ausländern, aber die wollten hier gleich die Welt verändern, ohne die Kultur und auch die Arbeitsweise zu verstehen.

视觉身份

36. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

个人风格

Wie positionierst Du Dich aktu­ ell?

Wir sind hauptsächlich im Bereich Innenarchitektur tätig, seltener auch komplette, größere Architektur-Projekte. Dazu entwickeln wir auch Mobiliar. Wir gehen in jüngster Zeit verstärkt in die „Life-Style“-Richtung, die in China mit etwas Verspätung angekommen ist.

Wir bieten dabei eine für hier neue Herangehensweise an, ein Package, dass nicht nur die komplette Innengestaltung beinhaltet, sondern auch eine Visual Identity einschließt, speziell für Firmen und Geschäfte. Wir haben jetzt auch ein Grafik-Design-Department in unserer Firma, wir organisieren Events und beraten sogar beim Personal Styling. Egal ob es für eine Villa, eine Verwaltung oder ein Geschäftslokal ist; wir bieten eine Begleitung vom Entwurf bis zur Realisierung an, auch um eine gewisse Kontrolle bis zum Schluss zu behalten und dem Ganzen eine Einheitlichkeit und einen Zusammenhalt zu geben. Die Überzeugungsarbeit ist nicht einfach, aber wir sind auf dem Weg. Wir wurden einfach zu häufig mit einem für uns „worst scenario“ konfrontiert, bei dem eine Firma die Architektur baut, eine weitere für den Innenausbau verantwortlich ist, eine andere für die Möbel, noch eine für die Vorhänge, dazu eine für das Logo. Dieses Patchwork ohne Koordination funktioniert schlecht und das wollen wir verhindern.

最差的方案

Wie viel Zeit bleibt Dir als Chef für Deine Kreativität?

Natürlich bin ich nach wie vor in alle Konzepte impliziert, delegiere im Detail aber zunehmend an meine kompetenten Mitarbeiter. Aber man muss auch wissen, dass in China grundsätzlich ein anderes Tempo bei der Arbeit gefahren wird. Die Entscheidungsprozesse laufen mit hoher Geschwindigkeit. Wir müssen in 2 bis 3 Tagen die Arbeit erledigen, für die man sich in Europa mehrere Wochen Zeit nimmt.

速度 37. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

不同的方式

Welche Rolle spielt für den Auf­ traggeber, dass Du als Ausländer ein Büro leitest?

Unsere Auftraggeber sind, wie gesagt, zum einen Chinesen und zum anderen Ausländer, so ziemlich zu gleichen Teilen.

Wir verbinden die sehr wichtigen lokalen Erfahrungen und Kenntnisse, das Handwerk eingeschlossen, mit einer internationalen zeitgenössischen Ästhetik.

Manche Auftraggeber wollen tatsächlich dezidiert einen ausländischen Architekten und werden von uns somit gut bedient. Andererseits mussten wir an manchen Stellen mit dem Vorurteil gegenüber Ausländern aufräumen, dass wir teuer oder kompliziert seien. Das ist beides nicht der Fall. Wichtig ist für uns selbst, dass wir grundsätzlich kein Unterschied machen zwischen einem chinesischen oder einem ausländischen Kunden, wir wollen da nicht in zwei verschiedene Richtungen arbeiten, sondern insgesamt eine Integrität in unserer Arbeit pflegen.

项目

Dein Büro ist ja in Beijing, fast alle Aufträge sind bislang auch in der Stadt realisiert worden. Wie sieht es mit einer Expansion aus?

Wir bleiben schon an unserem Standort.

Temporär haben wir ein Büro im Süden aufgemacht, weil wir dort ein größeres Projekt haben, demnächst machen wir das auch in Shanghai. China ist riesig, aber man ist gewohnt die großen Distanzen per Flugreisen zu bewältigen. Das ist zur Routine geworden.

Wie kommst Du an Aufträge?

Wir machen keine Werbung, auch um nicht zu viele kleine Anfragen zu bekommen, die wir ablehnen müssen. Es läuft, wie überall, meistens über Empfehlungen von zufriedenen Kunden. Mittlerweile sind wir auch in gutem Kontakt mit großen Immobilienagenturen, die uns besonders für den Innen-Ausbau oder -Umbau in Anspruch nehmen.

38. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

Wo lässt Du produzieren?

Möbel und alles andere lassen wir natürlich in China herstellen. Dort ist eine Fülle an Möglichkeiten vorhanden. Mit der Zeit haben wir ein gutes Netzwerk von Zulieferern und Produzenten aus dem ganzen Land aufgebaut, auf das wir für jeden Zweck zurückgreifen können. Die handwerkliche Qualität die wir bekommen ist ausgezeichnet.

Großes Thema: Kopie und Plagiat!

Ja, das stimmt, dazu aber auch Erklä-

距离 不公开 联系

质量

Inwieweit nutzt Du traditionelle chinesische Architektur oder Design bei Deiner Arbeit?

Die im Westen verbreitete Mode des

认知错误 执行

39. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

深

rungen. Grundsätzlich gibt es hierzu in China kein Unrechtsbewusstsein. Das ist kulturell tief verwurzelt. Der Begriff des intellektuellen Eigentums, wie er in der westlichen Welt auch strafrechtlich gehandhabt und diskutiert wird, stößt hier fast auf Unverständnis. Hier läuft es eher nach dem Motto: Eine einmal gefundene Lösung, eine Realisierung kann man ja aufnehmen und wiedergeben. Bei meiner Arbeit erlebe ich gelegentlich, dass ein chinesischer Auftraggeber mit einem Foto kommt und sich wünscht, das genau so nachzubauen. Mein BerufsEthos mal beiseite, ist mein Job dann, zu erklären und zu überzeugen, dass Gestaltungslösungen auch etwas mit Kontext und spezifischer Funktion zu tun haben.

Dazu kommt, dass die vorgelegten Beispiele oft nicht den Ansprüchen eines modernen Designs entsprechen, sondern eher opulente Eye-Catcher sind. Dies ist gleichzeitig ein Beispiel für unsere Aus­ einandersetzungen mit noch immer vorhandenen traditionellen Mustern. Es geht vielen noch immer um den Schein, ich nenne es auch Fassadismus. Und oft ist dies einfach zu oberflächlich und monumental. Moderne Fragen und Aufgaben des Designs, schon anzufangen bei der Ergonomie, müssen wir bei einigen Projekten regelrecht erklären und bewerben.

东方遇见西方

„East meets West“ ist für mich ein absolutes No-Go. Fusion is confusion! Dem Trend will ich nicht folgen. Speziell in der Architektur, stelle ich fest, dass die Bewohner von Beijing heute schließlich die gleichen großstädtischen Bedürfnisse haben wie überall auf der Welt.

Oder denken wir als Beispiel an die in China politisch gewünschte Vorgabe der Kleinfamilie. Wir suchen unsere Lösungen also nicht in der Tradition, sondern wollen zeitgenössischen Lösungen realisieren.

40. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

Beijing ist ja berüchtigt für seine Luftverschmutzung. Wie lebst Du damit? Wie wohnst Du selbst?

Na ja, man gewöhnt sich daran, aber es ist tatsächlich manchmal heavy. Meine Wohnung liegt in einem populären Viertel.

Das Gebäude ist eine moderne Form der traditionellen Courtyard-Architektur. Ich fühle mich da seit langem ganz wohl.

传统

Was würdest Du jungen Archi­ tekten oder Designern emp­ fehlen, die in China arbeiten möchten?

Zunächst sollte man wirklich aufgeschlossen sein und Geduld mitbringen, um das Spannungsfeld zwischen Traditionen und Andersartigkeit einerseits und dem tempo-geladenen Modernisierungsbestreben andererseits kreativ zu nutzen.

世界

受欢迎的邻里

M A R C

Diploma in Architecture (École Spéciale d’Architecture, Paris) Certificate in Applied Arts & Interior Design (AFA, Paris) 2011 – today AMC international design group, founder & Managing Director

2009 – 2011 HBO+EMTB (Beijing), Design Director

1999 – 2001 OVO Architects (Luxembourg), Associate Senior Architect

2003 – 2009 BDM Consulting (Beijing), Chief Interior Designer

1997 – 1999 Atelier Nico Steinmetz (Luxembourg), Collaborating Architect

2001 – 2003 Marc Colbach Architect DESA (Luxembourg), Architect

1996 – 1996 Kisho Kurokawa Architects & Associates (Tokyo), Architectural Student 1988 – 1996 Marc Colbach interiors 1962 Born in Luxembourg

41. DEE No.4 —Marc Colbach

C O L B A C H

43. DEE No.4 —Design Friends

Let’s be friends!

44. DEE No.4 —Flashback Season 6

Flashback Season 6

Erik Spiekermann Portfolio show Klaus-Peter Siemssen Maker Resolute – Design Changes Postscript: Luxembourg Dennis Elbers & Sven Ehmann Eduardo Aires Pop-up Store International Fashion Showcase D’DAYS

11.10.2014

Don’t work with assholes.

Don’t work for assholes

100 designers from Luxembourg

Erik Spiekermann Lecture | Mudam Luxembourg

Erik Spiekermann – typesetter, printer, art historian, information designer, font designer and author – founded in 1979 MetaDesign, that he expanded to the largest German design office until his departure in 2001. Projects realised with MetaDesign are amongst others the guidance systems for the Airport Düsseldorf and the BVG Berlin (the public transport company of Berlin) as well as CD-Programmes for Audi and VW. In 1989 Spiekermann founded FontShop, globally the first online sales platform for electronic fonts. Some of his font designs, e.g. FF Meta and ITC Officina, can be counted among the modern classics.

Erik Spiekermann’s design office Edenspiekermann is based in Berlin, Amsterdam, Stuttgart, London and San Francisco. In his letterpress printing workshop Galerie P98a in Berlin is used an impressive collection of six proof presses, one Heidelberger Tiegel and a multitude of small wood and lead platens.

Coordination: Guido Kröger Catalogue layout: Guido Kröger Catalogue interview: Sonja Knecht Picture report: Antonello Di Pinto Audience: 154

Portfolio show Looped screening | Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain

The focus of the 2014 edition of the Night of the Museums in Luxembourg-city was design. As an official partner of the event, Design Friends presented a portfolio show featuring 100 designers from Luxembourg at Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain. Design Friends has brought together a selection of 100 designers and key players of the local scene in order to show the dynamic and varied nature of the national design field. This portfolio show is an excerpt of the design scene directory published in DEE Magazine #3 that was released that same night at Casino.

Organisation: d’stater muséeën Portfolio layout: Mik Muhlen

26.11.2014

Klaus-Peter Siemssen Painting with Light

Lecture | Mudam Luxembourg

Klaus-Peter Siemssen is the CEO of Selux, a leading provider of sustainable lighting solutions for both interior and exterior applications. Siemssen and his team of lighting designers create solutions for exterior lighting projects for many cities (Marseille, Madrid, London…), buildings and historical monuments around the world. They also plan and develop light design for office interiors and public buildings, and provide overall lighting designs for exhibitions. Their sophisticated lighting concepts may enhance the quality of urban and interior life by means of efficiency, ergonomics and elaborate product design.

Coordination: Heike Fries Catalogue layout: Miriam Rosner Catalogue interview: Mark Penfold Picture report: Jan Hanrion Audience: 108

45. DEE No.4 —Flashback Season 6

24.09.2014

09.01.2015

Maker Film screening | CarréRotondes

Maker is a feature documentary looking into the “Maker Movement” in America reforming the economy with a new wave of Do-It-Yourself and Do-It-Together.

The “Maker Movement”, sometimes called the “Third Industrial Revolution”, subverts traditional manufacturing by building on innovative concepts such as open source, local manufacturing, crowd funding, and digital fabrication. Breaking the hobbyist movement stereotype, Maker delves deep into this ecosystem of design and manufacturing in the Internet era.

The film explores the ideas, tools, and personalities that are driving the “Maker Movement” – and returns with a timely snapshot of one of the transforming influences of the current age.

Director: Mu-Ming Tsai.

46. DEE No.4 —Flashback Season 6

DJ set: Silent Kid Picture report: Sara Giubelli Audience: 175

24.01 — 19.04.2015

24.01 — 19.04.2015

Exhibition | Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain

Exhibition | Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain

The exhibition Resolute – Design Changes explores the current state of social responsibility displayed by graphic designers. The selected works – or, rather, projects undertaken – reflect the determination of an emerging generation of young graphic designers to make an active contribution to the joint development of their field and their society. Much more than hired hands, these designers keep abreast of current affairs and appropriate new technology and other communication tools in an effort to increase awareness and to make things happen. They are determined, inspired, and motivated, and furthermore offer other people a critical perspective through which they can form their own opinions, express themselves freely, and act in all good conscience. Given this context – and given the ever more decisive impact of visual culture these days – the role of graphic designers is taking on an increasingly influential dimension in the realm of manipulation and power.

Casino Luxembourg presented the exhibition Resolute – Design Changes, first hosted in April 2014 by the Graphic Design Festival in Breda, Netherlands, curated by Dennis Elbers and Sven Ehmann. In its role as associate curator, the Design Friends association issued a call for projects for designers based in (or with a link to) Luxembourg, in the goal of augmenting the existing show with an additional section devoted to the local design scene. The jury – composed of members of the Design Friends steering committee, the curators, and Casino Luxembourg’s art director, Kevin Muhlen – selected projects by Laurent Daubach, Patrick Hallé, Reza Kianpour, Isabelle Mattern, Gina Schöler & Daniel Clarens, and Socialmatter (Lynn Schammel & Giacomo Piovan). Also on show was the emblematic NON by Jean-Christophe Massinon (1962-2011), a logo-cum-manifesto that has become sadly relevant again today, summing up many of the issues raised in this exhibition.

Resolute Design Changes

Corporate identity Postscript Luxembourg: Vinzenz Hölzl Picture report: Olivier Minaire Visitors: 5,598

Postscript: Luxembourg

Side events 01.10 – 21.12.2014

Pop-up Store

Designer Shops | Galerie Armand Gaasch, Dudelange

Dennis Elbers & Sven Ehmann The Interface Interface

Lecture | Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain

During the last centuries forces in power like religion, politics and money have determined the development of graphic design. Driven by technological inventions an innovative race in communication emerged. Today, as the networked society is upsetting traditional structures, the need for clear exchange of complex content propels the social influence of graphic designers. By designing interfaces connecting ideas, information and people graphic designers convert their submissive role. On analogue and digital platforms they act as interpreters between complex content (data, messages, functions) and society. Their personal visual interpretation influences the behaviour, opinions, and feelings of many. A great responsibility not many designers and their audience are aware of.

Sven Ehmann and Dennis Elbers observe this development and have set out on a mission to discuss the process and operation of the graphic interface with both stakeholders, designers and audience.

Evading the obvious designers-for-designers discussion they strive to ignite a public discourse about the way design influences society and vice versa.

Coordination: Nadine Clemens Picture report: Antonello Di Pinto Audience: 59

10.06.2015

Eduardo Aires Story Tiling: A Tale of City Branding Lecture | Mudam Luxembourg

White Studio, led by Eduardo Aires, is a multidisciplinary design studio, based in Porto and more recently in London, that works in a wide range of areas, from print to web, from editorial to signage, from packaging to interior design.

In 2014, Eduardo Aires designed the new visual identity of his vibrant hometown of Porto. The challenge presented was very clear: The city needed a visual system, a visual identity that could organise and simplify communication with the citizens, and could at the same time define a clear hierarchy, bringing together the city and the city hall.

Keeping in mind the historical context and heritage of the city, Eduardo Aires developed a new identity based on the symbolism of the blued coloured tiles that are all-present in Porto.

Coordination: Mike Koedinger Catalogue layout: Joanna Grodecki Catalogue interview: Angelina A. Rafii Picture report: Jan Hanrion Audience: 176

Pop-up Store, an initiative by the Ministry of Culture, Luxembourg

20 – 24.02.2015

International Fashion Showcase, London

Jury session | Ministry of Culture The International Fashion Showcase runs in parallel with the London Fashion Week and offers emerging fashion designers the opportunity to showcase their work in the frame of an international competition and a professional exhibition. In 2014 application was opened to designers based in Luxembourg. Although no proposal has been chosen for the 2015 edition of IFS, the jury panel strongly encourages young fashion designers to submit projects and benefit from such an internationally acclaimed platform.

Juy members: Céline Coubray, journalist, Maison Moderne; Nadine Clemens, Design Friends; Claudine Hemmer, Ministry of Culture

01 – 07.06.2015

D’DAYS

Le Festival du Design, Paris Dee Magazine | Carreau du Temple D’DAYS was host to the In progress collective, ten young Luxembourgish designers, who deal with the question, through innovation, of their position and what they can offer in a local context.

The aim was to show the importance of design thinking as well as the significant link between technology, both old and new, and creativity. Among other things in this exhibition, augmented reality technology created a fun connection with the general public by letting them experiment with some technical elements of design occupations. In the framework of this exhibition, DEE Magazine #3 was presented. It includes a repertory which aggregates design activities in Luxembourg (creators, institutions and associations).

47. DEE No.4 —Flashback Season 6

10.03.2015

The pop-up store principle is simple: to present a wide selection of signed creations by Luxembourgish or Luxembourg-resident designers, one after another, under the same roof and during a set period. From October to December 2014, around 15 designers and designer collectives occupied the Galerie Armand Gaasch where they displayed and sold their creations.

Design Friends decided to take part in the event by participating in the selection jury to promote the country’s diverse, excellent, lively design sector and push it to the forefront of the scene.

48. DEE No.4 窶認ast Forward Season 7

Fast Forward Season 7

Philippe Apeloig Lella & Massimo Vignelli Murielle Scherre Ruedi Baur Romain Urhausen Identitﾃｩs visuelles au Luxembourg

21.10.2015

Philippe Apeloig Abstract type or not?

Lecture | Mudam Luxembourg

08.01.2016

Design is One: Lella & Massimo Vignelli A film by Kathy Brew & Roberto Guerra

09.03.2016

Murielle Scherre La fille d’O

Lecture | Mudam Luxembourg

Film screening | Rotondes

They are two of the world’s most influential designers. Lella and Massimo Vignelli’s work covers such a broad spectrum that one could say they are known by everyone, even by those who don’t know their names. Adhering to self-proclaimed motto, “If you can’t find it, design it”, their achievements in industrial and product design, graphic and publication design, architectural graphics, and interior and furniture design have earned worldwide respect and numerous international awards for over 40 years.

After Massimo brought the Helvetica typeface to America in 1965, he and Lella moved on to a diverse array of projects, including New York’s subway signage and maps, the interior of Saint Peter’s Church at Citicorp Center, Venini lamps, Heller dinnerware, furniture for Poltrona Frau, and branding for Knoll International, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Ford and American Airlines.

Luminaries from the world of design – from architects Richard Meier and Peter Eisenman to graphic designers Milton Glaser, Michael Bierut, and Jessica Helfand – bring us into the Vignellis’ world, capturing their intelligence and creativity, as well as their humanity, warmth, and humour.

La fille d’O is the lingerie label of Belgian designer Murielle Scherre.

After her studies in fashion and working in different ateliers, Murielle Scherre started designing lingerie, firstly for herself, because she refused to compromise between a perfect fit and aesthetics. 10 years later, La fille d’O has empowered a lot of other women around the world. Not only by providing avant-garde lingerie and swimwear, but to make it in a way that it can be used everyday.

49. DEE No.4 —Fast Forward Season 7

Philippe Apeloig is an influential French graphic designer. His approach to a given assignment, whether it is a poster, logotype, or font, shows an impressive amount of both thoughtfulness and understanding of the subject matter at hand. His typographic solutions are skilfully crafted and demonstrate great attention to detail. He always aims to get the maximum effect with the minimum of means. Philippe Apeloig is a master of typographic interpretation. His work is idea-oriented and process driven. He can thoughtfully play with words and images in order to transmit concepts that are aesthetically appealing, perfectly balanced, and intelligent.

F 97 Hängeschaukel for TECTA, ca. 1974, © Romain Urhausen

11.05.2016

Ruedi Baur Between complexity and poetry, Civic design and global citizenship

50. DEE No.4 —Fast Forward Season 7

Lecture | Mudam Luxembourg

The world is changing, as are the problems conferred to design. Using both his more personal projects and those developed by his Intégral workshops in Paris and Zurich as starting points, Ruedi Baur will analyse the new requirements of readability, orientation, scene setting, those relating to identification, exchange, sharing, as well as to participation, good neighbourliness, the vision of a desired future and making it happen. He will also present the various studies that he is developing in a variety of European schools. Studies which delve into fields hardly touched upon by designers: international organisations and managing their visibility; universities and other complex organisms, and their difficulties in finding ways to represent themselves which go further than the administrative structures to make the knowledge they transmit and produce understandable; public areas, citizenship and the pleasures of living... To sum up, Ruedi Baur will talk to us of what motivates him to pursue, time and again, the profession of designer, or rather this creative attitude, as he defines the term with reference to Bauhaus teacher Làszlò Moholy-Nagy.

Within the framework of Design City 2016

30.06.2016

Romain Urhausen, photographer, designer and architect in dialogue with Christian Mosar, art critic Talk | CNA, CinéStarlight

Within the framework of the photographic exhibition Romain Urhausen – une rétrospective (working title) organised by the Centre national de l’audiovisuel (CNA) from 16 June to 30 October 2016, Design Friends has invited the photographer, designer and architect Romain Urhausen (*1930) for a discussion on the subject of his design works from the 1960s and 1970s in the (inter)national context in which he was involved; we will also talk about his influences and his original idea from the 1980s on the creation of a design museum in Luxembourg.

The discussion between Romain Urhausen and Christian Mosar will take place on Thursday 30 June 2016 at 7.30 p.m. at the Centre national de l’audiovisuel (CNA, CinéStarlight) in Dudelange.

Beforehand, at 6.30 p.m., a guided tour of the photographic exhibition will be offered, and thus a meeting with Romain Urhausen, multidisciplinary artist having experimented with numerous artistic genres and styles over his entire career. With a passion, among other things, for design, he has created innovative, unusual, remarkable items of furniture.

Juillet - Septembre 2016

Identités visuelles au Luxembourg Exposition Rotondes

En dressant un panorama représentatif des « marques luxembourgeoises » du début du siècle dernier aux créations les plus récentes, l’exposition dévoile l’évolution des tendances artistiques à travers un média spécifique – le design graphique et sa déclinaison de produits – dans ses dimensions culturelle, historique et sociologique.

De fait, au-delà de sa vocation première de vecteur d’information et de promotion, le design graphique constitue également un vecteur d’identité nationale ainsi qu’un miroir de la société qui l’a engendré. Dans le cadre d’une analyse des tendances à travers ces décennies, l’on se penchera sur la problématique d’un « Erscheinungsbild / identité visuelle » éventuellement propre aux marques du Luxembourg afin d’entrevoir des possibles réponses aux questions :

Et quand est-ce que le simple choix d’une écriture a-t-il évolué vers la création d’un branding ?

Appel à contribution Dans le cadre de l’exposition qui porte sur les identités visuelles du Grand-Duché du siècle dernier à aujourd’hui : si vous disposez de matériel d’exposition tel que des affiches, objets publicitaires, gadgets, etc., ou toute autre documentation qui pourrait compléter l’exposition, et que vous avez envie de participer à ce projet, nous vous prions de nous contacter afin de convenir ensemble de pistes et possibilités de coopération.

Contact : Steph Meyers steph.meyers@rotondes.lu / Nadine Clemens nadine@designfriends.lu

51. DEE No.4 —Fast Forward Season 7

Quand une conscience de l’identité graphique est-elle apparue au Luxembourg ?

52. DEE No.4 —Publications

Publications. At Design Friends we love designers and their work.

And what’s better to share this passion is to actually show it on glossy paper! That’s why we’ve printed an already fair amount of catalogues and magazines to deepen that vast subject through exclusive interviews and picture reports.

01 Christoph Niemann Illustration, 2009 02 Michel Mallard Creative Direction, 2009 03 Fun Factory Product Design, 2009 04 Andreas Uebele Signage Design, 2010 05 Harri Peccinotti Photography, 2010 06 Kustaa Saksi Illustration, 2010 07 5.5 Designers Product Design, 2011 08 Niklaus Troxler Graphic Design, 2011 09 Joachim Sauter Media Design, 2011 10 Michael Johnson Graphic Design, 2011 11 Elvis Pompilio Fashion Design, 2011 12 Stefan Diez Industrial Design, 2012 13 Christian Schneider Sound Design, 2012 14 Mario Lombardo Editorial Design, 2012 15 Sam Hecht Industrial Design, 2012 16 Sonja Stummerer & Martin Hablesreiter Food Design, 2012 17 Lernert & Sander Art & Design, 2013 18 Murat Günak Automotive Design, 2013 19 Nicolas Bourquin Editorial Design, 2013 20 Sissel Tolaas Scent Design, 2013 21 Christophe Pillet Product Design, 2013 22 Mirko Borsche Editorial Design, 2014 23 Paul Priestman Transportation Design, 2014 24 Bruce Duckworth Packaging Design, 2014 25 Erik Spiekermann Graphic Design, 2014 26 Klaus-Peter Siemssen Light Design, 2014 27 Eduardo Aires Corporate Design, 2015 Design Friends Activity Report, 2009-2010 Design Friends Activity Report, 2010-2011 Dee Magazine First Issue, 2012 Dee Magazine Issue 2, 2013 Dee Magazine Issue 3, 2014 With CarréRotondes asbl: Mapping August - An Infographic Challenge, 2010

02

03

04

05

06

07

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

53. DEE No.4 —Publications

01

54. DEE No.4 —About Design Friends

About Design Friends Design Friends Season 6 (2014-2015) Nadine Clemens, President Mike Koedinger, Vice-president Anabel Witry, Secretary Guido Kröger, Treasurer Heike Fries, Mik Muhlen and Silvano Vidale, Counselors Members 128 Members 18 Student Members 32 Gold Members Florence Bastin, Séverine Bauer, Anne-Françoise Bechet, Eric Chenal, Nadine Clemens, Stéphane Di Carlo Buffone, Mauro Doro, Claudia Eustergerling, Stina Fisch, Claire Flammang, Mario Fortes, Jan Glas, Joanna Grodecki, Anne-Marie Herckes, Stefan Hoffmann, Anne Kieffer, Sylvain Kirsch, Mike Koedinger, Guido Kröger, Anne Kröger-Kieffer, Maïté Lemogne, Marco Morgante, Gilles Scaccia, Mike Sergonne, Maria Grazia Spada, Michael Thompson, Nathan Tiburzio, Martine Wagener, Frank Weber, Mike Welter, Marc Wilmes, Patrick Wirtz

EN.

DE.

Design Friends est une association à but non lucratif créée en 2009, qui s’est donné pour objectif de rassembler les personnes ayant un intérêt pour le design et de s’adresser à un public à la fois amateur et professionnel. L’association a pour mission la promotion du design à travers la mise en place d’événements.

Elle peut ainsi se targuer de nombreuses initiatives, dont l’organisation d’une trentaine de conférences avec des designers de renommée internationale, des expositions et projections de films mais aussi des projets collaboratifs et éducatifs. Avec déjà six saisons à son actif, l’association Design Friends s’est établie comme référence en matière de design au Luxembourg, tant par la qualité des événements proposés que par le professionnalisme apporté à son travail d’édition. Son action contribue à la sensibilisation du design auprès d’un large public, tout en favorisant l’innovation, un certain ludisme ainsi qu’une bonne dose de créativité.

Design Friends is a non-profit association established in 2009 to bring together people interested in design, and to appeal to an audience of both amateurs and professionals. The association organises design-related events and has launched numerous initiatives including a series of thirty lectures with internationally acclaimed designers, exhibitions and film screenings, but also collaborative and educational projects.

With six seasons already under its belt, Design Friends has become a key player on the design scene in Luxembourg thanks to the high quality of its events and the professionalism of its publications. Its efforts have helped make a broader public aware of design by encouraging innovation, a certain sense of playfulness, and a good dose of creativity.

Der gemeinnützige Verein Design Friends wurde 2009 gegründet, um Menschen zusammenzubringen, die sich für Design interessieren, und wendet sich sowohl an Laien als auch an ein professionelles Publikum.

Der Verein hat das Ziel, Design durch ein Programm verschiedenster Veranstaltungen zu fördern. So glänzte er bereits mit mehreren Initiativen, zu denen unter anderem die Organisation von rund dreißig Konferenzen mit international bekannten Designern, Ausstellungen sowie Gemeinschafts- und Bildungsprojekten. In den sechs Jahren seit seiner Gründung hat sich der Verein Design Friends in Luxemburg sowohl durch das hohe Niveau der von ihm ausgerichteten Veranstaltungen als auch durch den Professionalismus seiner verlegerischen Tätigkeit als Autorität im Bereich Design etabliert. Seine Arbeit trägt dazu bei, ein breites Publikum für Design zu interessieren, indem er auf Innovation, eine gewisse Verspieltheit sowie eine gute Portion Kreativität setzt.

55. DEE No.4 —About Design Friends

FR.

We all live in a yellow submarine.

COMPOSITION D’ESPACES

B Y P R E FA LU X

Mobilier, lumière. Couleurs, formes, matières.

Quel que soit votre style, Firstfloor crée des espaces où ces éléments s’accordent parfaitement, prennent leur place harmonieusement.

Pour vivre ou travailler.

VITRA, MUUTO, FRITZ HANSEN, DCW LAMPE GRAS, ZEITRAUM,...

www.firstfloor.lu | Langwies II, Junglinster | +352 26 78 28 88

turning visions into reality

Luxembourg Capital

1, avenue du Swing L- 4367 Belvaux Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

www.luxembourgcapital.lu

www.maisonmoderne.com

The

BEATLES ARE BACK IN TOWN DATE: SEPTEMBER 2015 | PLACE: LUXEMBOURG | AUTHOR: NVISION | SPONSOR: POST LUXEMBOURG

Discover more on www.nvision.lu/beatles

62. DEE No.4 — Become a member

Join Design Friends Our programme is entirely financed by our member’s fees and our partners’ support.

How can you help?

* Not at conferences. Only at special events.

Members Categories

Student Member

Regular Member

Gold Member

Price

15€

30€

� 100€

Period

All season

All season

All season

Catalogue

X

X

Signed Catalogue

X

Mention on the DF site and Dee Magazine

X

Access to all DF events

X

X

X

Free drink*

X

X

XX

Members support Design Friends’ activities with their membership.

Student Members: People registred in college or university courses (upon presentation of student registration as proof).

Student pay 50% of the regular membership.

Gold Members pay 100€ — it’s not a VIP-thing, they are just ready to spend some extra money to help more programme to be done.

Categories

Donator

Price

From 250€

Period

All season

Catalogue

XX

Mention on the DF site

X

Free drink*

XX

Donators are companies or institutions that want to support Design Friends without being sponsor.

They are not members, but donators. Their money helps us to programme events.

Partners and Service Partners

Partners are companies or institutions willing to support our activities and associate their brand with ours.

Obviously they are important to us. Please contact board members for information.

Payment

Pay at events or pay online (standing order possible).

Please mention: “Membership Season 7, 2015/2016” and add your e-mail adress in the message.

63. DEE No.4 —Become a member

* Not at conferences. Only at special events.

Donators

64. DEE No.4 —Contributors

Contributors

Coordination Nadine Clemens

Mike Koedinger

Anabel Witry

Guido Kröger

Engagée dès les débuts dans le comité de Design Friends, Nadine s’est forgé au fil de son parcours une solide expérience dans les domaines de l’édition d’art et de la communication avec les médias. Expérience mise à profit également au Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain où elle travaille actuellement.

Mike Koedinger, independent publisher and media entrepreneur is the founder and CEO of Maison Moderne, Luxembourg’s leading independent and award winning media company.

With 25 years experience in media, he has become an internationally acclaimed expert.

After a few years of professional experience in Munich and Luxembourg, Anabel founded her own agency witry communications specialised in marketing and communication for architects and the building industry.

In 2010 she joined her parents’ architectural office witry & witry architecture urbanisme in the position of commercial director.

Guido is partner at Maison Moderne and the director of it’s creative studio.

Due to his 25 years of passionate experience in graphic design, he and his team of art directors, graphic designers, video producers, webdevelopers and -designers have won several international design awards over the years.

Erik Spiekermann

Cassandre Bourtembourg

Antonello Di Pinto

Sara Giubelli

Jan Hanrion

Internationally renowned graphic designer, typographer and type designer. He founded the multidisciplinary design consultancy MetaDesign in Berlin, 1979, opening a major San Francisco office in 1992, and another in Zurich. In 1989/90 he co-founded FontShop International.

Cassandre is a Belgian/ Luxembourgish graphic designer. She’s currently working at Maison Moderne where she’s in charge of the art direction of Delano and other publications.

Besides from her activity as an editorial designer she’s working in linocut.

Passionné par la photographie depuis plusieurs années, Antonello a pris part à l’aventure Design Friends en tant que photographe depuis la saison 4.

Son travail permet de garder un souvenir impérissable des événements qui animent chaque édition.

Arrived in Luxembourg after some experiences in Italy and abroad, Italian Graphic Designer Sara Giubelli meets Design Friends for the first time in 2014 and contributes as a photographer for some events.

Graphiste de profession et photographe par passion : voilà comment résumer le parcours de Jan Hanrion. Membre de Design Friends, mais aussi photographe lors des événements, il a su capter les moments forts des conférences proposées au cours des trois saisons précédentes.

Angelina Afsaneh Rafii

Hans Fellner

Angelina Afsaneh Rafii is a freelance journalist who relocated to New York after a 3-year stint in London. Her interest and writing predominantly cover the creative fields.

Former dutchman and bookseller. As an independent writer and curator his main subjects are art and cultural studies.

Since more or less 50 years he is an attentive observer/listener of pop culture phenomena.

Editorial conception

DF Secretary

Print coordination

Visuals

Editorial conception

Writer

Writer

Photographer

Photographer

Photographer

65. DEE No.4 —Contributors

Graphic Designer

Texts

Designer

Dee No.4

Design Friends Season 6

Editors in Chief Nadine Clemens, Mike Koedinger

Design Friends’ Season 6 programme (2014-2015) was realised with the support of partners, sponsors and cultural institutions.

Our special thanks go to:

Published by Design Friends asbl

Art Director Cassandre Bourtembourg (Maison Moderne) Editorial Collaborators Guido Kröger, Anabel Witry Cover Illustration Erik Spiekermann Writing Hans Fellner, Angelina Afsaneh Rafii Photo Editing Jan Hanrion (Maison Moderne)

Catalogue Layout: Joanna Grodecki, Vinzenz Hölzl, Guido Kröger, Miriam Rosner Catalogue Writers and Editors: Sonja Knecht, Mark Penfold, Angelina Afsaneh Rafii Event Photography: Antonello Di Pinto, Sara Giubelli, Jan Hanrion Website: Design Bureau / Laurent Daubach and Viktor Dick Special thanks to the board’s counselors: Heike Fries, Mik Muhlen and Silvano Vidale

Sponsors

Proofreading Pauline Berg (Maison Moderne) Muriel Dietsch (Maison Moderne) Printer Imprimerie Schlimé sàrl Distribution Maison Moderne

Service Sponsors

ISSN 2304-523X Thanks to Brigitte Britten, Marguy Conzemius, Will Kreutz, Georges Krombach, Steph Meyers, Liette Reuter, Jean-Yves Thomas, Silvano Vidale, Daniel Vinkowski

Institutional Partners

66. DEE No.4 — Colophon

With the support of

Design Friends asbl 41, rue Notre-Dame PO Box 345, L-2013 Luxembourg office@designfriends.lu Visit www.designfriends.lu and subscribe to our newsletter.

Join us on Facebook. © Design Friends asbl 2015 (Luxembourg, Europe)