Christian Haas is a famous interior designer that has been revolutionizing the design industry with creative ideas and inspiring trends since 2000. The German Industrial Designer, now living in Porto, Portugal, perfectly embodies everything that is innovative and creative within design excellence. From bespoke furniture to lighting designs, his inspiring works is all about creating unique pieces with the richest materials. He strongly believes that the future of the design industry is on the essence of high-quality craftsmanship. His speech during the Luxury Design and Craftsmanship Summit 2019 really highlighted the importance of the craftsmanship heritage in today’s design industry!

Christian Haas is a prestigious German interior designer that stands out for his incredible projects, and his ability to revolutionize the design as we know it! During his speech at the Luxury Design and Craftsmanship Summit 2019, he definitely highlighted the importance of high-quality craftsmanship. “I think craftsmanship nowadays is more about the luxury as the field, so we’re not in the field of mass production, it’s not quintessential but it’s like all the pleasures in life, you know? You want to have a choice, you want to have pleasure, and I think craftsmanship can function a bit in the same way, that you offer something to yourself that you really like, and this is really unique and so”.

With craftsmanship in mind, the interior designer firmly believes that craftsmanship is a big part of our heritage, for our “common knowledge”. He wishes that this type of art would be explored to its fullest so that everyone would be enriched by these amazing arts. “It’s part of our heritage, of our common knowledge that we have as humans, it’s a bit how we made, how we create with the tools, how we use the tools and so. And I think it’s a pity that we know so less about how pieces are produced and crafted, I think that’s a pity. I think this could be enriched”! From every country, every different style and design identity, there’s an incredible heritage that is building up, and moving design forward.

Putting into perspective, Christian Haas believes that events such as Homo Faber and the Luxury Design and Craftsmanship Summit 2019 are essential for the development of design towards the future. “I think it’s already an alert or really shows the interest, when you see how many people visit the Homo Faber exhibition, like 62 500 people. How people start to re-appreciate, let’s say, this craftsmanship. And I think, whatever could be done, whatever puts the focus on these crafts, almost close to disappearing will help in the end. But I think, also, in the end, it needs to be sellable and desirable, it would really help the craftsmen”. Through these events, the designer thinks that the attendees are improving when it comes to paying proper attention to these extraordinary arts that never go out of style.

Christian discusses many different experiences that have happened during his professional journey, one of them especially was his participation in Paris Revelation, in May. “My piece was there, because it was at the same time as Japan, so I can’t really say it but of course that showing in Grand Palais is an amazing opportunity, and I could guess from the pictures that the installation was quite stunning and breathtaking, so I was very happy that my piece was at Grand Palais, but I didn’t go there personally, so I didn’t really experience it”. Although he wasn’t present at this year’s edition of Paris Revelations, he was quite happy with the result, because its appearance looked stunningly beautiful. 

Right now, Christian Haas has settled in Portugal, where he continues to develop his artwork, and also exploring the art and design heritage that Portugal has to offer. Recently, the designer collaborated with José Vieira on a new project, and the process was overly satisfying. “I was approached by Doppia Firma and the Michelangelo Foundation, they would like to showcase a project with a Portuguese artisan, and we already had a project then, but I also wanted to challenge myself, like, let’s do something new. I don’t just want to see a design that I already did so, we had this contact through a friend of mine, to José Vieira, that was one of the tinsmiths up north, and it was a bit of a fixed idea; let’s work with someone that has daily goods, we wouldn’t describe himself as an artist or craftsman. He’s a producer of daily goods, but with strong knowledge let’s say, and I try to push everybody a bit, you know? To push him to do something a bit outstanding and luxurious, something that he’s not used to, and let’s push us also you know? It’s also a process because he was clearly not used to these kinds of works, so it was a bit of a challenge, let’s say”. With that work, he appreciated every step of the process, within the Portuguese craftsmanship context. 

He ended the interview discussing the possibility of Porto being able to be a design capital, such as Paris or Milan. The interior designer spoke frankly and admitted that Porto is not ready to be a design capital yet. “I think Porto can be a strong city in the side, but now we’re talking about Paris and Milan, but every week you have a design week somewhere now right? You have in Stockholm – The Stockholm Design Week gets more and more important, I get the feeling that New York is getting more and more important, there are so many design weeks and so many bases, so I think it will not be a capital of design. Porto, when it comes to design, has some really really good designers here in the city. It would be really quite great you know, we don’t have to over rush it, and say that we will be the capital, I think this will not happen in the next 20 years probably, but it could mean a good time for the designers and manufacturing and so. And you see many new young Portuguese brands are popping up, and some are very successful and doing well, and getting acknowledged”. Christian Haas admits that Portuguese brands are really standing out every day, but there’s also a long way to go, in order to catch up to the other capitals of the world.