MATTIAZZI Designer
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RONAN AND ERWAN BOUROULLEC
Ronan (born in 1971) and Erwan Bouroullec (born in 1976) are brothers and designers
based in Paris. They have been working together for more than twenty years bonded
by diligence and challenged by their distinct personalities. Their studio is based in
Paris and their team numbers around ten people.
In 1997, they were spotted by Cappellini, giving them their first industrial design
projects. They began working with the Galerie kreo in 2000 and had their first solo
show there in 2001. Issey Miyake then hired them to design the boutique to house
his new collection A-Poc. They met then Rolf Fehlbaum, President of Vitra, and worked
on a new office system entitled Joyn. Since then, they have gone on to work with
Artek, Flos, Hay, Kettal, Kvadrat, Ligne Roset, Magis, Mutina, Nanimarquina,
Samsung and Vitra, etc.
Their work has covered many field ranging from the design of small objects as
jewellery to spatial arrangements and urban designs, from craftsmanship to industrial
scale, from drawings to videos and photography. The designers also maintain an
experimental activity with Galerie kreo, which is also essential to the development
of their work.
MARIALAURA IRVINE
Marialaura Rossiello Irvine (born in 1972) is the creative force behind Studio Irvine
for over a decade. A graduate of Architecture from Naples under the mentorship of
Riccardo Dalisi, Marialaura is guided by an intrinsic respect for the narrative foundations
of architecture. She began her career with a passion for traditional design before
advancing to Milan to study Strategic Design at Politecnico di Milano. With marketing,
communication and strategy as focal points, she gained valuable experience
collaborating with top Italian design firms, viewing products as part of a company’s
overall strategy. Later, she began blending her expertise with the British design
approach, working alongside her late husband, James Irvine. Marialaura’s design
process is driven by extensive research and a profound historical understanding,
deliberately avoiding strict adherence to any specific style or typology. She describes
her approach as a “radical whisper,” emphasizing the transformative power of
materiality, encapsulated by the principles of ethics, timelessness and challenges.
Marialaura’s portfolio includes collaborations with esteemed clients including
Arper, Muji, Thonet, MDFItalia, FormaCemento, Olivari, Mattiazzi among others. Her
studio, based in the center of Milan, specializes in product design, art direction
and architecture. The approach is recognizable not only in the final product or space
but in the entire process that, starting from the material, involves all the stages of
transformation: from production to communication and product strategy. The mission
is to simplify to improve the overall design and production. Her research is linked to
mono-materiality, always in search of a synthesis that, following an industrial approach,
reduces material waste.
NITZAN COHEN
Prof. Nitzan Cohen (born in 1973), is a multidisciplinary designer and Dean of
theFaculty of Design and Art at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.
After completing his studies at the Design Academy Eindhoven, he worked with
Konstantin Grcic and later established his own design practice (Studio Nitzan Cohen)
collaborating with a wide range of partners, from large international corporations
to artisanal workshops, cultural institutes and Museums. Combining design work
with design research and didactic, Cohen held the position of Chair for Industrial and
System Design at HBK Saarbrücken and was an adjunct professor at the Master for
Space & Communication at the HEAD, Geneva.
Currently, he is a professor for product design and the Dean of the Faculty of Design
and Art at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, where he founded the ‘Design
Friction Lab’; A multidisciplinary research and design studio at the intersection of
science and industry, aiming to merge reality with innovation. The lab focuses on
finding sustainable solutions for industrial and societal shifts, with projects ranging
from crafted electronics, DIY culture, distributed manufacturing, open-source
production, nano-electronics, biodegradable sensors, design driven materials, design
for circularity and sustaibable production technologies.
Cohen’ work was exhibited in museums and galleries worldwide, and his work is
part ofthe most renowned international design collections.
SAM HECHT & KIM COLIN
London-based studio Industrial Facility was co-founded in 2002 by designers
Sam Hecht and Kim Colin. Their approach reflects both a thoughtful consideration of
form and a unique understanding of contemporary life, creating beauty out of utility
inthe products, furniture and exhibitions they design. Hecht, from London, trained as
anindustrial designer, while Colin, from Los Angeles, trained as an architect; together
they have helped clients to produce projects that display an understanding of
culturalrelevance and commercial success.
Hecht and Colin’s desire is to work for industry in a way that improves the things we
live with. Not setting out to produce something different but rather something better,
they aim to design things that will last, be effective and give satisfaction often beyond
what is called for by the product and the client. Industrial Facility is considered as one
of the most progressive studios in product, furniture and technology design. With a
roster of pioneering clients, including Muji, Herman Miller, Santa & Cole, Emeco and
Wästberg; they are regarded for both their philosophical and pragmatic approach.
Their work is included in permanent collections worldwide including Victoria & Albert
Museum, MoMA, SFMoMA, Cooper Hewitt, The Art Institute of Chicago, Centre
Pompidou, and The Design Museum, London.
KONSTANTIN GRCIC
Konstantin Grcic (*1965) was trained as a cabinet maker at The John Makepeace
School for Craftsmen in Wood before studying Design at the Royal College of Art in
London. Since setting up his own practice in 1991 he has developed furniture, products
and lighting for leading design companies. Konstantin Grcic Design is based in Berlin
and is active in several fields ranging from industrial design projects, exhibition design
and collaborations in architecture and fashion.
Among his industrial producers are Flos, Laufen, Magis, Muji, Nespresso, and Vitra.
In the fashion and lifestyle sector his clients are a.o. Audi, Hugo Boss, Issey Miyake,
Prada, Rado and smart/Daimler.
Many of his products have been awarded international design prizes. He received the
Compasso d'Oro in 2001 for the Mayday lamp (Flos), 2011 for the Myto chair (Plank)
and 2016 for the OK lamp (Flos). For Tom and Jerry from Magis' series The Wild Bunch
he received the German Design Award in Gold in 2011.
The world's most important design museums (including MoMA, New York/Centre
Pompidou, Paris/Die Neue Sammlung, Munich) have included his designs in their
permanent collections.
The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce
(RSA) in England admitted Konstantin Grcic to the circle of ‘Royal Designers for
Industry’ in 2009 and in 2010 he was a fellow of the Villa Massimo in Rome. In 2016,
Konstantin Grcic was honoured by the jury of the German Design Award with the
Personality Award.
From 2020 to 2024 Grcic held a professorship at the Hamburg University of Fine Arts
(Hochschule für Bildende Künste) and has since been Honorary Professor. He has been
appointed member of the Academy of Arts (Akademie der Künste), Berlin in 2021 and
of the Academy the Fine Arts (Akademie der Schönen Künste), Munich in 2022.
LAMBL / HOMBURGER
Studio Birgitta Homburger (since 2018)
Birgitta Homburger is a creative director, designer, and strategist. She has built an
international portfolio that includes collaborations with brands such as Mattiazzi,
Wästberg, Volkswagen, and Laufen. Her role in creative direction and product design
has been recognized through guest professorships at Kunsthochschule Kassel,
Universität der Künste in Berlin and the Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Stuttgart.
Since 2023, she is creative director and partner at ANALOG GLASS based in Berlin.
Former: Lambl / Homburger (2006-2018)
During their collaboration, Lambl Homburger partnered with a variety of clients
—from global brands to cultural institutions—to help develop authentic and impactful
communication strategies. Their expertise in design and branding played a key role
in guiding Mattiazzi to become a leading furniture brand, demonstrating the studio’s
capacity to shape both products and brand identities. After concluding their
partnership, both founders began pursuing their own projects.
JASPER MORRISON
Known for his ‘Super Normal’ approach to design, Jasper Morrison looks to find
the exceptional in the world of the ordinary. He is a firm believer that design should
have an almost invisible presence in the end product and that an atmosphere of
naturalness in things is more important than a designer’s signature.
Born in London in 1959, Jasper studied design at Kingston Polytechnic, the
Royal College of Art and Berlin’s HdK. In 1986 he opened his Office for Design in
London, from where he continues to design furniture, lighting, tableware and
everyday products.
