"I like to open the doors to people's brain." - Philippe Starck Whenever we discover an object or a place designed by Philippe Starck, we enter a world of walltowall imagination, surprises and fabulous fantasy. For more than three decades, this unique and multifarious creator, designer and architect has been a part of our daily lives by creating unconventional objects, whose purpose is to be "good" before being beautiful; iconic destinations, that take the members of his "cultural tribe" out of themselves and, most importantly, towards something better. His father, an inventor and aeronautic engineer, gave the young Philippe Starck the desire to create and the capacity to dream. Several years and several prototypes later, he was commissioned to work for President François Mitterrand. This was also when he began designing furniture for leading Italian and international firms. Philippe Starck designs his hotels and restaurants in the same way a director makes a film. He develops scenarios that will lift people out of the everyday and into an imaginative and creative mental world. His hotels have become timeless icons and have added a new dimension to global cityscape. Through Philippe Starck’s concept of "democratic design" – increase the quality objects at lower prices so that more people can enjoy the best – he was a lone voice at a time when design was turned exclusively towards an elite. There are few areas of design he hasn't explored: from furniture to mail-order homes, motorbikes to mega-yachts, and even artistic direction for space-travel projects, to name but a few. Philippe Starck believed in the green long before ecology became fashionable, out of respect for the planet's future. Early on, he created the Good Goods catalogue of non-products for nonconsumers in tomorrow's moral market, and set up his own organic food company. More recently he developed the revolutionary concept of "democratic ecology" by creating affordable wind turbines for the home, soon to be followed by solar-powered boats and hydrogen cars. Philippe Starck is a tireless and rebellious citizen of the world who considers it his duty to share his ethical and subversive vision of a fairer world. He stays tuned in to our dreams, desires and needs - sometimes before we get there ourselves - by making his work a political and civic act which he accomplishes with love, poetry and humour. Text: Jasper Eder

Phoenix Design follows a holistic approach, offering innovative brand manufacturers one-stop strategic consulting, corporate design, product design and user interface design. Phoenix Design’s competence resides in developing products of high usability, combining both aesthetical and functional aspects. Following their design philosophy, products have to be convincing in their use, give proof of social and ecological responsibility and be emotionally captivating, in line with the credo: “Logic, morals and magic”. Phoenix Design’s design approach is closely linked to the values of Bauhaus and Ulm school, which today are more topical than ever: finding their expression in functional and simple, immediately accessible designs and usability concepts leading the way in an increasingly complex world. Thanks to their uniqueness and longevity, such products allow for a high added value, increasing the brand value through business success. More than 690 design prizes and awards received since Phoenix Design’s foundation in 1987 are ample proof of this. The great number of awards has also propelled the company in the international “ranking creative” of “iF International Forum Design Hannover” to the top: for several years now, Phoenix Design has been recognised as the No 1 external design agency. Phoenix Design with its 60 full-time employees founded a branch office in Shanghai and Munich. Andreas Haug, Tom Schönherr and Harald Lutz are the Managing Partners. Managing Director are Bernd Eigenstetter. The company can rely on profound know-how in the following focus areas: bathrooms, wellness and air conditioning technology, building services engineering, lamps, lifestyle accessories, outdoor, medical technology, furniture design, telecommunication, entertainment electronics and transportation. Phoenix Design has been working for clients like Audi, Axor, Duravit, Gira, Gigaset, Hansgrohe, Hewi, Hüppe, Huawei, Internorm, Interstuhl, Lamy, LG, Loewe, Metrax, Navigon, Samsung, Selux, Sharp, Siemens, Siteco, Trumpf, Viessmann, Vorwerk, ZEISS and many others, a cooperation that in some cases has been going on successfully for decades