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CReative
spRingboaRd
TexT Norman Kietzmann
eVeN THOuGH BerLiN WAS AWArDeD THe uNeSCO »CiTY OF
DeSiGN« TiTLe iN 2006, THe CAPiTAL’S YOuNG DeSiGN SCeNe STiLL
HAS DiFFiCuLTieS BeiNG TAKeN SeriOuSLY BOTH NATiONALLY
AND iNTerNATiONALLY. NOW TWO iNiTiATiVeS Are TrYiNG TO GeT
YOuNG GerMAN DeSiGN BACK ON iT’S FeeT THrOuGH iNTeLLiGeNT
NeTWOrKiNG..
Although German design has a good reputation worldwide, young
designers over here often have it tough. Although Berlin boasts
an array of prestigious art schools offering a multitude of design
courses, very few alumni manage to quickly get a foothold in the
industry or establish themselves as self-employed designers.
One reason is that in comparison with our neighbours in europe,
their training often doesn’t include enough hands-on experience,
and sometimes even ignores economic concerns entirely.
It’s a contradiction, because design is inseparable from economic
reality. The designs for products are ultimately produced, distributed
and sold. It’s no wonder then that suspicion has developed
between established companies and young designers over
the past decade. Previously it was assumed the industry would
look for new talent among the design school graduates. Today
going straight into industry is an exception to the rule. A
potentially fatal situation for young talent, because up till now
in Germany there’s been no suitable forum for making contact
with employers.
With the »Young Designers meet the Industry« initiative, the
International Design Centre of Berlin (IDZ) and the German
Design Council have shown what a possible solution might look
like. Forty design-orientated companies met with young design
firms and a selection of graduates on the 26th and 27th of October
2007 in Berlin. The designers displayed their work as part of
a curated exhibition and gave short lectures explaining their designs.
A final dinner ensured the very closest connections could
be made, with representatives from business and design placed
in alternation in two long rows at the table. The multi-course
meal provided ample opportunities to start conversations and the
make useful contacts.
At the Milan furniture fair in April 2008, 15 young Berlin design firms presented their work inside the specially
constructed “Berlin Design Dome”. With it’s rounded form and long red and white striped antennae, the pavilion was
reminiscent of the German capital’s most famous landmark: the TV tower.
The design platform »Create Berlin« is responsible for another
initiative. They organised the »made in Berlin« exhibition that
appeared as part of this year’s furniture fair in milan in from
April 16 to 21, 2008. A total of 15 Berlin design firms displayed
their work inside a dome-shaped pavilion with red and white
striped antennae like Berlin’s TV tower. The exhibition was
curated by Berlin designer Werner Aisslinger and design theorist
Francois Burkhardt and included work from firms such as
ett la benn, mark Braun, martin Holzapfel, Ilotllov and others.
In comparison to their British, French, Japanese or Dutch
colleagues, young German designers have hardly had a presence
until now in milan. This time design from Berlin was celebrated
in impressive style.
This is even more significant considering the centre of the design
world is not Cologne, Frankfurt or Berlin, but rather milan,
where much more goes on than just the discovery and presentation
of new trends. even more important are the industry scouts
there who look for new talent and can make future design careers
happen. The »made in Berlin« exhibition closed the circle and
gave young Berlin designers a platform to get beyond the borders
of both the city and the country.
The »made in Berlin« exhibition concept could shape the entire
direction of German design promotion, particularly as it provides
an ideal extension to the »Young Designers meet the Industry«
networking platform. As important as contacts with representatives
from German industry is, design itself knows no national
boundaries and shouldn’t just remain a kind of local colour. It
would make excellent sense if the two young talent initiatives
worked together in the future more closely and perhaps were
even represented by a joint project in milan next year.
The design initiative VIA (Valorisation de l’Innovation dans
l’Ameublement) could be a useful role model for Germany. It
was established by former French President Francois mitterand
For the shade of their new »Matt« lamp,
Berlin design label LLOTLLOV turned to a
very unusual material: knitted wool.
An energy-saving light bulb was used to
avoid the wool heating up and catching fire.
View of the »Berlin Design Dome«
exhibition room in the Milan Zona Tortona.
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