Dwell 24: Simon Schmitz

SchmitzA graduate of HFBK Hamburg‚ Schmitz has designs in production and development with DCW Editions and Martinelli Luce. He manipulates light as though it were a material to be shaped and guided. His AARO lamp is a balancing act involving a single sphere joint that allows the lamp to move fluidly in any direction.

For his Raa lamp‚ the angle of light can also be manually adjusted. It shines through an engraved acrylic shade‚ which creates shadows and textured patterns on the wall.

Read why Schmitz's dream house would include a jungle of plants, along with his other responses to our Q&A, below.

Hometown: Hamburg, Germany

Describe what you make in 140 characters. I work with light. To me, a light fixture is more of a sculpture than a piece of furniture. I am fascinated by the possibilities that come with it.

What's the last thing you designed? A one off light concept for a public park

Do you have a daily creative ritual? Sort of. If I only have a vague idea of where a project could lead, I simply start drawing; I know the rest will develop during the process. Sometimes, I put the idea aside, then come back to it later and see which rudiments have potential.

How do you procrastinate? Yes, with the help of the internet. 

What everyday object would you like to redesign? Why? Less of an object, but I would like to redesign a subway roadmap. I'm fascinated by finding the most logical way for lines to meet at certain junctions and the composition that results.

Who are your heroes (in design, in life, or in both)? I don't believe much in having heroes. In design, there are certain pieces I like and appreciate, but I doesn't necessarily start idolizing their creators. Same in life. Everybody has to offer something, but listening to only a few doesn't work for me. 

What skill would you most like to learn? Dozens. I'm not too good at drawing by hand. I'd love learn French. And tig welding. And... 

What is your most treasured possession? A pine tree, actually.

What's your earliest memory of an encounter with design? A book about the Bauhaus and design. I just looked at the pictures.

What contemporary design trend do you despise? The perception that design has to be as subtle as possible—that objects have to be composed of thin lines, clean surfaces and little or no details.

Are you left-handed or right-handed? Right

Finish this statement: All design should...dare.

I sketch with a…pen. 

I work best with…music. 

I do my best work...sometime in the evening. 

My studio is…a hive of productive clutter. 

Instagram is...a homogenizing force in the design world.

Choose one: Bauhaus, Memphis, or Brutalist? Brutalism

Choose one: Past, Present, or Future? Present

Choose one: Less is More, Just Enough is Enough, or More is More?Just Enough is Enough

If you had to pick a favorite material, what would it be? Steel

Rank the following: (1) Fun, (2) Function, and (3) Form

What’s in your dream house? A jungle of plants and an Eileen Gray lamp.

You can follow Schmitz on his website or on Instagram.  

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