The best designers of the red dot design award 2007 in interview: Marcus Temming

The panel of experts awarded Marcus Temming red dot: best of the best title for his innovative spectacle frame „horn by Markus T”.  We spoke to him about the plan behind his product and about the meaning of the red dot: best of the best title for him.

What inspired you to create this special product and what was your intention behind it?

My love for buffalo horn gave me the impetus for this collection. This natural material fascinates me because it exudes a special warmth. It was a challenge for me to improve on this material and transgress its limits: buffalo horn is softer than sythetic material and has an organic structure that poses constraints for design and production. By means of functional technology and the properties of titan, I was finally able to bring buffalo horn to perfection. 

What does being awarded the red dot: best of the best mean to you?

A design award is always a big recognition for the ideas, development, and diverse work that stands behind a product. I was particularly happy that we received the best of the best award: For me and the team at MarkusT, it confirmed that we were again able to demonstrate the singularity of our eye glasses with a top product.

What particular challenges do you think designers are facing in this day and age?

The biggest challenge lies in implementing one’s own ideas so that they target and reach consumers, the whole without losing track of the initial vision that gave rise to the idea and without making compromises, if possible. Although aesthetics is important, designers have to acknowledge the utility of the product and stay in touch with reality. After all, the result has to be not only beautiful but also practical for everyday use. Good design alone does not constitute a successful product.

As a designer, what would you still like to achieve in the future?

My goal is to continue developing ideas that make life more appealing, more beautiful. This means perfecting the combination of good design and functional technology with as few compromises as possible, and to realise my visions in very varied product groups.

What do you think is the economic significance of design?

We’re surrounded by design. Wherever we go, whatever we look at: all objects were designed. Therefore, “no design” is not an option. There are no products that were not designed. Good design is the combination of function, technology, and aesthetics, enhanced by added value. If we take this as the main principle of design, it has a very high economic significance.

Minimalism of natural shape

For designers, creating spectacles is an interesting theme, because it involves a combination of stylistic sensibility and current trends with precise functionality and new technologies. The “horn by Markus T” eyewear collection by the designer Markus Temming interprets in a new manner the natural material of horn that has been used in eyewear design for many years. In an innovative design approach the natural horn is combined with high-tech titanium, whereas the characteristics of both elements define the wearing comfort and the look of this collection. Its design is made possible through a new process of cutting the natural horn and how it is processed: Two very thinly cut horn plates are connected with each other by means of a newly developed technique giving the glasses elasticity and stability. Thanks to a coherent bonding of titanium elements accentuating the harmony of the frame these titanium connecting-systems lend the collection its technical appearance and further underline its clear language of form. In contrast to this, the naturalness of the horn imparts the distinctive and organic structure of the material, making each pair of glasses original and unique. Complemented with fine mirror-finish polish, these models project the attributes of warmth and lightness, as well as a minimalism that is one of a kind.