K+BB - September 2008 - (Page 54)

Profile London native and award-winning industrial designer Jasper Morrison has designed everything from cutlery and chairs to kitchen appliances and even a tram. He is a graduate of Kingston Polytechnic Design School, as well as The Royal College of Art, where he earned an M.A. in design. After spending a year at Berlin’s Hochschule für Bildende Künste (HdK), Morrison returned to London to open a design studio in 1986. Since then, his ﬁrm has built a vast and varied portfolio of work, creating products for such companies as SCP, FSB, Neotu, Rowenta, Q&A Jasper Morrison, JASPER MORRISON LTD. Olivetti, Alessi, Flos, Vitra International and Cappellini. In 1995, Morrison won a commission to design the Hanover tram in Germany, for which he was awarded the iF Transportation Design Prize and the Ecology Award, and a few years later was tapped to furnish the Tate Modern, which opened in 2000. In the kitchen and bath realm, Morrison has lent his distinct sensibility to a series of bathroom ﬁxtures and ﬁttings for Ideal Standard, as well as a refrigerator and built-in oven for Samsung, both of which recently received international design awards. If someone had asked you when you were a child, “What do you want to be when you grow up,” you would have answered… A mechanic. What learning experience has had the most impact on you? Fencing lessons, age 7. What’s the biggest misconception about what you do? That it’s minimalist. What “words of wisdom” can/do you share with others? Try to be useful! What are some issues that you’re passionate about? The erosion of normal atmosphere. What is the best thing that has happened to the profession in the past ﬁve years? Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec. Whom do you consider to be the most inspirational architects? I still get a big kick from visiting Le Corbusier buildings on any scale. I like SANAA and Herzog & de Meuron these days. Are there any examples of architecture that motivate you to design? SANAA’s 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan, is particularly impressive. What do you like to do in your spare time when not designing? Cooking, eating, family life, wine, lots of travel. Actually, I hardly ever design; I just keep my eyes open and think about what I see. Do you derive any ideas from nature or other disciplines? I get my inspiration everywhere, but rarely from nature. It’s more of an everyday life situation that inspires me the most, the idea of how people live well in a simple way. What is the most intriguing aspect of your job? Knowing what to do. What do you hate about it? All the giant teapots pretending to be design! Do you have any professional pet peeves? Yes, I don’t like the way the media seeks out sensational examples of design to sell magazines. It distorts the identity and purpose of design. Tell us about your favorite/ideal customer? It’s me! How long is your typical workday? It’s 2-7 pm at the moment. People would be surprised to ﬁnd out that you…? Have 30 bicycles. What is your favorite place on earth? The Alps on a train. What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current profession? I’d grow or cook things, I think. s —Alice Liao For more of this interview, go to www.kbbonline.com/Morrison. 54 + K BB September July 2004 2008 / www.kbbonline.com / The Ofﬁcial Sponsor of K/BIS www.kbis.com http://www.kbbonline.com/Morrison http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of K+BB - September 2008

KBB - September 2008
Contents
Online Contents
Online News
Editorial
Feedback
Dates
Digits
Focus
Consumer
Trends
Products
Options
Profile
Design
Hospitality Suite
Guest Appearance
Green
Access
Additions
Practice
Education
Editorial Index
Ad Index
Favorites

K+BB - September 2008