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specific market and the target audience’s wishes for and requirements from a product, in order to be able to create my own individual version and interpretation. “Behind every product I design is a deep
understanding and an inspiring story. And to tell an honest and successful story one needs imagination and the ability to make this a reality. I choose to work with clients who firmly believe in the power of design.” But this selection process works both ways.
Schmidt chooses clients who share his beliefs and values regarding the impact that design can have on a product - or, in some cases, an entire company – and, in turn, the clients choose Schmidt and Code2design for the time and effort that they put into understanding their company, their market and their story. “Our clients’ brands are complex
personalities,” Schmidt says. “During the course of a project we work intensively together to understand the DNA behind them. “Together with our interpretation of the
product story we create ‘the code’ for the specific design of a product, or you could say we create the design code for a specific product. This code should then not only communicate the story of the product, it must also communicate the corporate brand philosophy.”
Whilst Schmidt acknowledges that this
approach has undoubtedly helped him win clients in the past he also cites another reason as to why his clients choose his company above his competitors. “I believe it is the German thoroughness and desire or urge for innovation together with an almost Italian creativity and design. At the end of the day, design has a universal language but German and Italian design have different histories and the design process is different. For me it is very important to work in both cultures.” For many of his clients, it did not take
too long before they were reassured that they had indeed made the right choice. This reassurance came in the form of the numerous awards and prizes for the products Schmidt and his team had designed for them, most notably those in the bathroom sector. His products for Falper, Hoesch, Duscholux, Hightech Design Products and ACO Haustechnik have all picked up the much coveted Red Dot design award over the years and many of the same companies also had their products nominated for the German Design Prize. For Schmidt though, there is one
bathroom project that sticks out in his ➔
The Scoop bathroom collection for Falper creates a minimalist ‘metropolitan’ atmosphere
“OUR CLIENTS’ BRANDS ARE COMPLEX PERSONALITIES. DURING THE COURSE OF A PROJECT WE WORK INTENSIVELY TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND THE DNA BEHIND THEM”
The Shape collection by Falper transforms the bathroom into a living space, bringing additional warmth and character
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