Q1 Please tell us your brief profile and working career. Why did you become designer?
Maybe the first impulse was when a fathers' friend was working with artist J. Beuys who had asked him to make a toy for his child. He made them for it and the same for me. It was just a number of very interesting wood peaces, not 90° and each was different... Later I worked in a furniture store where I had the first contact to design. I learned to make furniture and how to wake up early in the morning. After this period I started to study architecture. It was good, I learned something about construction and to think things - or buildings - as imagination. Then I changed to product design where I feel at home now. As design student I participated successfully in some competitions and I worked directly for some good brands. It was growing a little bit and one day I found myself in the own design studio.

Q2 What is the concept of your products?
The kyoto chair which I have designed for Fischer Möbel- is based on a similar idea. I personally like things that just communicate what they are: they may tell their own story – not more and not less. When I design a product I try to define something that is 100% what it is. In that case it may communicate its own functions, the way to use it in a semantic way and maybe it communicates about the own construction. That makes them desirous. For example the o2 Lounger. The connection of seat and frame is designed as a visible detail. For all miawolf products I use the addition as main aspect to separate functions and sections. The kyoto chair is based on a similar idea. It is additional and the folded shape tells something about the construction with light materials, but the same shape offers a comfortable seat to the user. The products are comprehensible. That is what I mean when saying it tells its own story.

Q7 What would you be if you weren't a designer?
There is no alternative, or maybe then I would like to be architect.

Q8 How has Germany design influenced your work?
German design? – Yes maybe it influenced my work – people say German design is functional, in order, well organized, rational and with clear aesthetics. All this is what I prefer. But I feel influenced by other cultures, too. For example the Scandinavian style and the Japanese culture. Some month ago I was invited to meet Dieter Rams in his house. He told, the problem of design today is that people can't or don't want to work out their projects within 100%. They prefer to do things with just 95% or less. But the problem is that the last missing 5% will influence the whole product quality much more than 5%. German Design has something to do with "100%" and that is good.

Q13 Could you tell us anything what you think it's cool at the moment?
I do not like the word. It is in use for all and nothing. So nothing!

Q14 Are there any people who inspired you? Who do you respect?
In the field of Design and industrial creativity my respect goes to Dieter Rams. He is one of the great creative heads for industrial culture, a great designer and more. Today he is again on top. Another Designer is Bruno Ninaber. His work is a secret. Enzo Mari influences me almost every day. I have a look his sugar box (and other things) and I think "wonderful". There are other interesting people. I respect any person who is "complete". I mean people who are authentic in what they are and do.

Q15 What is your favorite word or phrase?
La vie est creation – Life is creation – Das Leben ist Gestaltung.
There is a lot of meaning behind this short sentence. Finally: I live it.

Q3 Please tell me the process that your products was born.
I work in a permanent research, wherever I am, whatever I do, it offers questions to me about the thing, the context, culture and many other aspects. For some years now I know that the good ideas grow in between that moments. Then, when I sit in front of a paper it is a concentrated progress - like fishing the ideas and drawing them onto paper. "La vie est creation – Life is creation – Das Leben ist Gestaltung" that is my slogan for live and work. There is a lot of meaning behind this short sentence, but finally I just live it!

Q4 What is your greatest inspiration?
At the moment it is the ponton fireplace. I like it a lot because it is so simple – it's just a "something" to get a save and all sides visible fireplace for in- and outdoor use. It has won some awards including DesignPlus and Good Design from the Athenaeum Museum in Chicago. This product has its own story. And I have more ideas, they flow...

Q9 Who is your dream collaborator?
I know some. For me Leica is one of the interesting brands from Germany. I did a collaborative Event Design project with them but the most interesting product is the camera itself. Offecct and Swedese are my most wanted collaborators from Sweden, I like Sfera from Japan. I think they understand a lot about tableware because they started with a restaurants and came to design then. That's interesting.

Q10 What do you think about design industry in your country?
The main German design industry is based on technical Design - mostly automotive manufacturers build a strong part of it. But design is a very international business. All good studios are mixed up with people from different countries. I hear that German designers can be good project coordinators.

Q16 What is your favorite website?
I could name a dozen sites because the web is so big and so dynamic.
www.coolhunter.com and www.designspotter.de are cool sites because they show a lot of new things nearly every day. Another is www.colins.de. I know them almost from the start.
My own project www.projektdrei.de is elementary. It shows a short movie about nature that anybody can enjoy without meaning.

Q17 Do you have any advice for the young people?
Am I old? Ok, there are 2 aspects:
One aspect is that you should work out your projects 100% and not 95%.
The missing 5% will influence the project a lot. Dieter Rams told that!
Another aspect is that designer should hear to their own voice, to their own idea. It is not the trend or the brief that should influence a new design. Just hear what you really want, think or feel. It is easy because it is there, somewhere inside... more or less... just find it... or not...