Studio Sebastian Herkner

Portrait by Gaby Gerster

462: 15.04.2018

person

: 19.05.2009

Sebastian Herkner (born 1981) studied Product Design at HfG Offenbach University of Art and Design. During his studies he began to focus on designing objects and furniture, honing his keen sense for materials, colors and textures. For a short while he then worked for Stella McCartney in London. In the year 2006 Sebastian Herkner founded his own studio. Since that time, he has designed furniture, lamps and smaller items for manufacturers such as Ames, and Tradition, Cappellini, ClassiCon, Dedon, Ex.t, Fontana Arte, Gubi, Linteloo, Moroso, Pulpo, Rosenthal, Schramm Werkstätten, Thonet, Wittmann and Zanotta. Herkner also realizes interior architecture projects and museum and exhibition design. His works have won numerous accolades – among others the IF Award, the Iconic Award and the Elle Deco International Design Award (EDIDA). As Guest of Honor to imm cologne 2016, Sebastian Herkner provided the design for “Das Haus”. Maison&Objet has elected him 2019 “Designer of the Year”.
An unconditional love for traditional craftsmanship paired with a good feel for new technologies, a true flair for color, authentic materials and textures, an unadulterated curiosity for different cultures, for embracing and integrating them, and a commitment to taking responsibility for the things and people one works with, not to mention consideration and respect for all of the details and steps necessary to create an extraordinary object...: Since the success of the Bell Table for ClassiCon in 2012, Sebastian Herkner has never looked back, while remaining true to his word – and himself. Balance and intuition are important and enduring factors in his work, which he sees as a continuous dialogue that straddles the disciplines: It takes him to the far corners of the world in search of almost forgotten crafts techniques, of manufactories that have a tradition going back centuries, to the crafts Sleeping Beauties that he can awaken from their slumber. In the process he creates not just chairs, sofas, lamps, tables, vases and carpets, but an entire cosmos that shines a new light on how objects can appeal to the senses, and where beauty is cultivated from within the process itself and his empathy towards people.
// written by Martina Metzner

“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

vita

: 13.10.2008

since 2007	freelance projects
2007 - 2012	teaching assistance at the Academy of Art and Design Offenbach am Main Germany, Department of Industrial Design
2007	Diploma at the Academy of Art and Design Offenbach am Main Germany, Department of Industrial Design
2006	setting up own studio
2003 - 2004	internship at Stella McCartney Ltd. London, UK
2001 - 2007	Academy of Art and Design Offenbach am Main Germany, Department of Industrial Design
1981	born in Bad Mergentheim, Germany

awards

: 14.10.2008

2019	Designer of the Year 2019 _ Maison&Objet _ Paris _ France Iconic Award - Innovative Interior _ Best of Best _ Dune for Gloster Prix Franco-Allemand des Secteurs culturels et créatifs 2019 Deutsch-Französischer Preis der Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft 2019 Coveted Award - Product Designer _ Winner Stylepark Selected Salone _ Winner _ Maraca for Ames
2018	Designers´ Saturday Grand Prix _ Winner _ Helden Installation for ClassiCon Stylepark Selected Salone _ Winner _ Dune for Gloster Wallpaper* Design Award _ Best Ripping _ Cord 2.0 for Nya Nordiska Stylepark Selected Award _ Winner _ 118 chair for Thonet Stylepark Selected Award _ Winner _ Grace for Schönbuch Iconic Award - Innovative Interior _ Best of Best _ Fold for Schramm Werkstätten Iconic Award - Innovative Interior _ Winner _ Loon for Dedon Iconic Award - Innovative Interior _ Selection _ Bay for Rosenthal
2017	Wallpaper* Design Award _ Best Piercings _ Lou for Nya Nordiska
2016	Guest of Honor 2016 _ imm Cologne Iconic Award - Innovative Interior _ Best of Best _ Mbrace for Dedon IF Award _ Meta, Mitis and Domo for Rosenthal German Design Award _ Winner _ Meta, Mitis and Domo for Rosenthal
2015	Interior Innovation Award _ Winner _ Heim for Sitzfeldt German Design Award _ Special Mention _ Heim for Sitzfeldt Interior Innovation Award _ Winner _ Collana for Rosenthal German Design Award _ Special Mention _ Collana for Rosenthal Interior Innovation Award _ Selection 2015 _ Falda for Rosenthal EDIDA Elle Deco International Design Award _ Best International Newcomer Arredativo Design Magazine Selection _ Best of 2015
2014	Interior Design Magazine _ Best of Year Award _ Banjooli for Moroso Wallpaper* Design Award _ Best Folk _ Unam Lounge Chair for Very Wood
2013	Elle Deco Award China _ Best Outdoor Furniture 2013 _ Banjooli for Moroso Elle Deco Award Czech Republic _ Best Tableware 2013 _ Chado for Verreum EDIDA Elle Deco International Design Award 2012 _ nominee Best Newcomer Raum und Wohnen Magazin _ Best Furniture of the Year 2013
2012	Elle Deco Award Germany 2012 _ Best Newcomer Designpreis Deutschland 2012 _ nominee _ Piep Show Home
2011	DesignPlus Award 2011 _ winner _ Piep Show Home Designpreis Deutschland 2011 _ Newcomer Finalist Designpreis Deutschland 2011 _ Newcomer Winner Delta Award 2011 _ finalist _ Bell-Table
2010	Designpreis Deutschland 2010 _ nominee Design Report Award 2010 _ nominee reddot design award _ winner 2010 _ Bell-Table Monument for Alois Senefelder-competition_second prize
2009	imm cologne _ Best Communication Concept _ winner
2008	Heimtextil _ Young Contract Creations Award _ special mention
2003	Leonardo da Vinci - scholarship

current and former assistants, freelancers & interns

: 14.04.2014

Julian Auch, Irina Diana Flore, Sara Grandt, Jesko Haschke, Martin Hirth, Daphne Le Cleach, Marie Anne Le Corre, Teresa Mendler, Betty Montarou, Dohn Kanokpon, Robin Benito Schmid, Delphine Toury

lectures, talks & workshops

: 01.05.2011

2019	Designer of the Year 2019 _ Maison&Objet _ Paris _ France Dialogue _ Burg Giebichenstein _ Halle + Teo Jakob _ Art Geneva _ Geneva _ Switzerland Wittmann _ Aarau _ Switzerland
2018	IDD Shanghai by imm Cologne _ Shanghai _ China Dialogue _ Hauser Living _ Zürich _ Switzerland Glas-Symposium Zwiesel _ Zwiesel _ Germany Beijing Design Week _ Beijing _ China IDS West _ Vancouver _ Canada Budapest Design Week _ Moholy Nagy University _ Budapest _ Hungary Dialogue _ Reiter _ Rankweil _ Austria Dialogue _ HOME Depot _ Vienna _ Austria Traveling designer, a plural approach _ Maison & Objet _ Paris
2017	Pure Talents Stage _ imm Cologne _ Cologne Dialogue _ Haworth Showroom _ Bangalore, India
2016	Das Haus 2016 _ imm Cologne _ Cologne Dialogue _ Istituto Marangoni _ Milan Dialogue _ Wood.BE _ Brussels Dialogue _ Arkitektura _ San Francisco Visionary Design for all Senses with Yana Peel _ DLD _ New York Dialogue _ Dedon Showroom HK _ HongKong Dialogue _ Rihootim _ Tel Aviv Mbrace for Dedon _ Aufschnaiter _ St. Johann Tirol Moroso & Sebastian Herkner _ ITC _ Istanbul Dialogue _ Zeichanakademie Hanau _ Hanau
2015	BMW Talk _ Langen Foundation Azure Talk _ IDS Toronto, Canada AmbienteDirect _ München Design Shanghai _ Shanghai, China Wallpaper* In Conversation _ Avenue Road, New York ReFraming Danish Design _ DanishTM _ Copenhagen _ Denmark Cologne Design Lounge _ DesignPost _ Cologne Scholastika _ Prague _ Czech Republic
2014	Deutsches Design Museum _ Ernst-Reuter Schule II _ Frankfurt Basket Case II by British Council _ Binga, Zimbabwe IFFT Tokyo _ Tokyo, Japan
2013	Kunsthochschule Kassel _ Kassel Maximiliansforum - Passage für interdisziplinäre Kunst _ München
2012	Tendence _ Frankfurt HfG Karlsruhe _ Karlsruhe Sofia Design Week _ Betahaus _ Sofia, Bulgaria Interior Lifestyle _ Shanghai, China Designpost at Orgatec _ Cologne HfG Offenbach _ Offenbach Deutsches Architekturmuseum Frankfurt _ Offenbach
2011	Sunhoo Design Festival _ Hangzhou, China Design Deutschland 2011 _ ICFF New York, USA IWD 2011 _ Italian Workshop Design _ Manzano, Italy
2010	Design Deutschland 2010 _ ICFF New York, USA
2009	YDMI Europe 2009 _ Abitare Il Tempo Verona, Italy
2008	YDMI 2008 _ Berlin

exhibitions

: 14.10.2008

2019	Designer of the Year _ Maison & Objet _ Paris
2018	Helden Installation for ClassiCon _ Designers´ Saturday _ Langenthal New Layer II _ Spazio Nobile Gallery _ Design Miami Basel _ Basel Sebastian Herkner _ Guest of Honor _ HOME DEPOT _ Vienna
2016	Das Haus - Interiors on Stage _ Guest of Honor _ imm Cologne
2015	Avenue Road _ IDS Toronto Animalità _ Triennale Design Museum _ Milan Basket Case II _ Ambiente Fair _ Frankfurt Serial Beauty _ Biennale International Design _ Saint Etienne Selected´15 _ Designmonat Graz _ Graz Sebastian Herkner at Design Republic _ Design Republic _ Shanghai Storytelling _ Morgen Interiors _ Frankfurt ReFraming Danish Design _ Danish TM _ Copenhagen Crafting the World _ Okolo Gallery _ Prague Moroso at Miami Beach Botanical Garden _ Design Miami _ Miami
2014	Alle Metalle / all metal _ imm Cologne 14 Auf die Plätze _ Platform _ Munich Dialog _ Rosenthal _ Munich Confessions of Design _ Austrian Design Exhibition _ Milan The Art of Living _ Triennale di Milano _ Milan Rosenthal _ Bianco _ Milan Wallpaper* Handmade _ Leclettico _ Milan Any Tokyo _ Tokyo Basket Case II _ National Gallery of Zimbabwe _ Harare Moroso at Miami Beach Botanical Garden _ Design Miami _ Miami
2013	Pulpo _ imm cologne 13 Böwer _ imm cologne 13 Moroso _ imm cologne 13 ClassiCon _ imm cologne 13 Vitra _ imm cologne 13 Pulpo _ Maison&Objet Paris France Glass is Tomorrow _ A Glass House Paris France Imprint at Zur Schwäbischen Jungfrau _ Passionswege Vienna Austria Wishing Table _ Czech Design Prague new olds _ Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen _ international tour
2012	talents 10+1 _ Tendence Frankfurt Pulpo _ imm cologne 12 Pulpo _ Maison&Objet Paris France Moroso _ Fiera Milano Rho _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy ClassiCon _ Fiera Milano Rho _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy De Vorm at Zona Tortona _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy LEFF Amsterdam at MOST _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy Hallingdal 65 by Kvadrat _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy De Vorm _ Interieur Kortrijk Belgium Moroso _ Orgatec Cologne Shape your Life - Progetto Alcantara _ MAXXI Museum Rome Italy
2011	Trend Show 2011 _ imm cologne 11 MAVA-Contemporary Glass Art Museum of Alcorcon _ Alcorcon Madrid Spain Designpreis Deutschland 2011 _ ambiente Frankfurt Designpreis Deutschland 2011 _ Diamantenbörse Frankfurt Design Plus Exhibition _ ambiente Frankfurt Trend Show at ambiente _ ambiente Frankfurt SaloneSatellite 14° _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy De Vorm at Ventura Lambrate _ Salone Internationale del Mobile Milan Italy Design Deutschland 2011 _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy Foundry _ Fiera Milano Rho _ Salone Internationale del Mobile Milan Italy Boffi _ Via Solferino 11 _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy Tacchini _ Fiera Milano Rho _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy Design Deutschland 2011 _ ICFF New York USA new olds _ Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa) _ international tour Stilwerk limited edition design gallery _ Hamburg Oh Tannenbaum _ at 25 branches of the Goethe-Institut worldwide Design Deutschland 2011 _ Business of Design Week HongKong China 8th Christmas Tree Exhibition _ HfG Karlsruhe
2010	[d3] design talents_contest _ imm cologne 10 ambiente Frankfurt Luminale 2010 _ Light+Building Frankfurt SaloneSatellite 13° _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy Design Deutschland 2010 _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy Design Deutschland 2010 _ ICFF New York USA Gewebte Gärten _ Grassi Museum Leipzig The Workshop at Studio Egret West _ London Design Festival UK Hábitat Valencia _ Valencia Spain Interieur 2010 _ Kortrijk Belgium German Living _ Interior Lifestyle Shanghai China Design Deutschland 2010 _ InnoDesignTech Expo HongKong China
2009	informed by cologne 09_imm cologne 09 [d3] design talents_schools _ imm cologne 09 Talents Forum _ ambiente Frankfurt SaloneSatellite 12° _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy YDMI Europe 2009 _ German Design Council _ Abitare Il Tempo Verona Italy
2008	Heimtextil Frankfurt [d3] design talents_contest _ imm cologne 08 [d3] design talents_schools _ imm cologne 08 Nachlux _ Passagen Köln Garten 2008 _ Palmengarten Frankfurt Talents _ tendence Frankfurt Gate 73-75 _ Offenbach am Main Deutsche Guggenheim Berlin Talent 2008 _ Designhuis Eindhoven Netherlands Interieur 08 _ Kortrijk Belgium mytopanton _ Hessen Design Darmstadt YDMI 2008 _ German Design Council _ Berlin Christmas Tree Exhibition _ HfG Karlsruhe
2007	Garten 2007 _ Palmengarten Frankfurt CityMöbel _ Offenbach am Main Neues Design _ Hessen Design Darmstadt That´s design _ Salone Internazionale del Mobile Milan Italy
2006	Paper World Frankfurt Designmai-Youngsters Berlin Luminale 2006 _ Light+Building Frankfurt Fresch _ Design im Park Frankfurt Designers Week Tokio Japan Art to Use Frankfurt Christmas Tree Exhibition _ HfG Karlsruhe Neues Design _ Hessen Design Wiesbaden

references / clients

: 14.10.2008

brands

Agape
Ames
and tradition
Avenue Road
Cappellini
ClassiCon
Dedon
Ex.t
Gloster
Gubi
Kaufmann Keramik
La Cividina
La Chance
Linteloo
Moroso
Nude
Nya Nordiska
Pulpo
Rosenthal
Schönbuch
Schramm Werkstätten
The Rug Company
Thonet
Very Wood
Wittmann
Zanotta

institutions

Alliance Francaise
Bankhaus B. Metzler Seel. Sohn & Co.
bauma
BMW
British Council
Bürgerhospital Frankfurt e.V.
Cartonplast Trading GmbH
Chrismon
Danish TM
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt
Douglas GmbH
Dr. Senckenbergische Stiftung
EVO AG Offenbach
Frankfurter Buchmesse
Goethe-Institut
Hessen Design e.V. Darmstadt
Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach am Main
Horizont Frankfurt
Hyundai Europe
Institut für Jugendbuchforschung der J.W. Goethe Universität Frankfurt
KaDeWe Group
Liebieghaus Frankfurt
Lufthansa Sky Chefs
Material Connexion Cologne Köln
MAXXI Museum Rome
Merck
Meso Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt
Messe Köln
Muse Store im Deutschen Guggenheim Berlin
Oper Frankfurt
Palmengarten Frankfurt
SAP
Schauspiel Frankfurt
Senckenberg _ Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum
Sign Kommunikation
Stadt Bad Mergentheim
Stadt Frankfurt am Main
Traxon Technologies _ Osram
Universitätsbibliothek Senckenberg Frankfurt
Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt
VDMA
24/7 Metering