Cecilie Manz Born 1972, lives and works in Copenhagen. After graduation from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts - The School of Design in 1997 with additional studies at the University of Art and Design in Helsinki, Cecilie Manz founded her own studio in Copenhagen in 1998. Here, Cecilie Manz designs furniture, glass, lamps and related products, mainly for the home. In addition to her work with industrial products, her experimental prototypes and more sculptural one-offs make up an important part of her work and approach: “I view all my works as fragments of one big, ongoing story where the projects are often linked or related in terms of their idea, materials and aesthetics, across time and function.Some objects remain experiments or sculpted ideas, others are made more concrete and turn into functional tools. The task or project itself often holds the key to inspiration; ideas don’t come from waiting but from leg-work, drafting and trials. My work goes from the inside out, and a project has to possess a sound, strong and relevant idea or functional justification before I address the actual physical design. My work has always revolved around simplicity, the process of working toward a pure, aesthetic and narrative object.” Recipient of the Thorvald Bindesbøll Medal 2011, the Bruno Mathsson Prize 2009, Kunstpreis Berlin 2008, the Finn Juhl Architectural Prize 2007, The Furniture Prize 2007, The Crown Prince Couples Cultural Award 2014, the Three-Year Working Grant from the Danish Arts Foundation and several other grants. Works with Fritz Hansen, B&O, Fredericia Furniture, Nils Holger Moormann, Lightyears, Muuto, Georg Jensen Damask, Iittala, Kähler, Offecct, Actus/Nissin and others.

Profile Sebastian Herkner was born in 1981 in Bad Mergentheim. He studied product design at the HfG Offenbach am Main (Offenbach University of Art and Design), already focusing during his studies on designing objects and furniture merging various cultural contexts, combining new technologies with traditional craftsmanship in order to highlight the multifaceted beauty of the materials and draw renewed attention to small details. Whilst still a student, Herkner did an internship with Stella McCartney in London, which helped to hone his feeling for materials, colours, structures and textures. Since founding his own design studio in Offenbach am Main in 2006, he has designed products for manufacturers such as ClassiCon, Dedon, Fontana Arte, La Chance, Moroso, Pulpo, Rosenthal and Very Wood, as well as working on interior design projects and for exhibitions and museums. Since 2007 he has taught several courses at HfG Offenbach am Main as visiting lecturer. His designs have received multiple prizes, for example the 2011 German Design Award in the Newcomer category, 2015 the EDIDA Award for Best International Newcomer and Guest of Honor at imm cologne 2016. // written by Markus Frenzl “There is a sensitivity and identity to my work that emphasizes the function, the material and the detail. I transport and interpret characteristics from various contexts of society and culture and implement them in new artifacts. This character infuses the most everyday objects with respect and personality. In this manner, seemingly contrary things can experience esteem.“ Sebastian Herkner, born 1981, studied Product Design at Offenbach Design Academy. During his studies he did an internship at Stella McCartney in London and developed a particular liking there for color, material and their connection. Since graduating from Offenbach in 2007 he has worked as assistant in the Product Design faculty and is in charge of projects in the realm of integrated design. As early as 2006 Sebastian Herkner established his own studio and has since then been involved in freelance projects for various companies and institutes. Alongside the design of exhibitions and trade fair presentations his second focus is on designing everyday objects. He is influenced in this by his observations of people and their actions. In this context it is important to look beyond your own disciplines in order to achieve a value-added for the user. Sebastian Herkner is not so much influenced by trends or current consumer criteria, because what interests him is a collage of simple techniques and traditional materials coupled with a simple mechanical principle and an unambiguous function. His idea of sustainability consists of employing traditional manufacturing techniques and their unique character. He then combines and interprets this by employing new technologies and finishing methods. In spring 2010 his occasional table Bell-Table was presented in New York in the collection of Spanish manufacturer ABR, which also received the red dot award 2010. // written by German Design Council Even at this early stage in his career Sebastian Herkner is attracting attention with his outstanding works. We can look forward to being surprised by more of his designs in the future. // Roland Heiler, Managing Director Porsche Design GmbH