What was it like growing up in a family of cabinetmakers?
Stefan Diez (SD) My father’s workshop was my childhood playground. He was a man who tried to make things possible and go beyond the usual expectations. Normally, if you go to a carpenter, they create something made only from wood. When architects went to my father, he didn’t just take into consideration one material; he’d find a solution in metal if wood was not suitable.

How did this heritage influence your work?
SD I had the choice to either become a cabinetmaker and take over my father’s workshop or study architecture. I decided that first, I’ll complete a course in cabinetmaking. Afterwards, I wanted to study architecture. But before I began, I learned about another more universal profession called design. It was less space-oriented and more object-oriented, which I found quite interesting. I studied industrial design at the State Academy of Art and Design in Stuttgart and had Richard Sapper as a professor, which was amazing. I learned from him how much an aesthetic is also linked to a mechanical principle.

Tell us about your design process.
SD Playing with a material to me means exploring its qualities, and working hands-on is a way of expressing my thoughts. I can only work up to a certain complexity in my head, after that I have to make a model. I love to make sketches and models. Although we work intensively with the computer, we have to rely on making models and prototypes. The bigger an object the smaller it appears on the screen; while our models are genuine snapshots. 

I believe the designer has to be an engineer, too. You need a precise idea about how you want to construct a product and you have to have input from specialists who can help solve manufacturing problems.