K+BB - December 2008 - (Page 46)

Profile Although Paolo Pininfarina was only eight when his grandfather, Battista Pininfarina, founder of Pininfarina S.p.A. (of Ferrari fame), passed away in 1966, the loss inspired him to enter the family business, as, he noted, “I understood the importance of Pininfarina.” His formal introduction, however, would have to wait until 1982, after he had earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Turin Polytechnic. Paolo’s early years with the company gained him much experience in the automotive industry, working with the likes of Cadillac, General Motors and Honda. In 1987, Q&A Paolo Pininfarina, PININFARINA EXTRA he was appointed chairman and CEO of Pininfarina Extra, a company formed a year earlier to focus on product design and, more recently, interiors. Since then, Paolo has led the group to develop more than 300 projects for several internationally recognized companies, including Jacuzzi, Lavazza, Motorola, Snaidero, Coleman and 3M. Pininfarina Extra has also garnered its share of awards, ranging from a red dot: Design Team of the Year Award, as well as Good Design Awards from The Chicago Athenaeum for Snaidero’s Acropolis and Venus kitchens. What are some of the proudest experiences in your career? Do you have any regrets? I feel very proud of the ﬁrst kitchen, the Ola, which I designed in 1990 and was the first project from an exclusive collaboration with Snaidero. It has enjoyed great international success and become a classic. As for regrets, I regret not having designed a full bathroom system yet. What learning experience has had the most impact on you? The everyday example set by my father during my childhood. What “words of wisdom” can/do you share with others? Don’t take anything for granted. What are some issues that you’re passionate about? I love nature, its colors, sounds and smells. What is the most intriguing aspect of your job? The spirit of our brand is very intriguing to me. It’s classical but modern, industrial yet artistic, Italian yet also international. It is Ferrari red but not tied to any speciﬁc color… What do you hate about it? I don’t like people who generate problems just to justify their presence as problem-solvers. Is designing a kitchen or bath product different from designing other types of products? Every product is different but the process is about the same. The kitchen has been a very good design exercise for Pininfarina because of its complexity and functional requirements. Describe your favorite/ideal customer. My wife. What do you like to do in your spare time when not designing? Recently, I’ve been spending a lot of spare time working in my garden. I love “redesigning” the garden. What’s one thing you hope to accomplish in your lifetime that you haven’t yet? I am in the process of designing a Ferrari model for 2011, which I would like to see on the streets. What is your favorite product that you’ve designed? A drum set that I’ve already played as a prototype and will be shown in 2009. People would be surprised to ﬁnd out that you…? Play the drums. What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current profession? In the past, I would have liked to be a musician, but now, I would probably spend more time in my vineyard. What’s the one thing that keeps you up at night? The future of my children. If you could have a five-minute conversation with anyone dead or alive, who would it be? My grandfather. s —Alice Liao For more of this interview, go to www.kbbonline.com/Pininfarina. 46 + K BB December July 2004 2008 / www.kbbonline.com / The Ofﬁcial Sponsor of K/BIS www.kbis.com http://www.kbbonline.com/Pininfarina http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

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

K+BB - December 2008
Contents
Online Contents
Online News
Editorial
Dates
Focus
Trends
Product Innovator Awards
Products
Options
Profile
Abroad
Design
Linear Thinking
Miami Heat
Green
Access
Additions
Practice
Editorial Index
Ad Index
Favorites

K+BB - December 2008