Name: Mauro Micheli
Company: Officina Italiana Design SRL
Position within company: Chief Designer
Website: www.italianadesign.it
What direction do you feel design is moving towards in general terms?
Design moves and develops with the time … Designers, as well as artists, often anticipate the future with their visions and their creations. That’s why their work is fully understood years after their creations. Let’s wait and see…
Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2016 and beyond.
Infinite lines, no quick solutions – balance in shapes – irony – realistic approach – contemporary art, as a vision on future times.
Good design never expires.
Any key trends that we should be aware of?
Environment protection, as a general awareness everybody must take good care of.
Useful creations, in order to avoid mere self-reference plays.
What projects are you currently working on?
We are working on different boats for Riva and Sanlorenzo, in the range from 30 to 160 ft.
Four new models, in particular, will go on water in 2016, among them a 100’ Riva and a 78’ Sanlorenzo, both with flying bridge.
If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to design schemes, what would it be?
Simple lines with attention to detail.
Creations must not go out of fashion quickly . The more the lines are simple, the more the design is strong. Less is more, in other words: it seems so ordinary and banal, but it’s not! it’s really the major effort of my daily work.
A designer’s work is so diverse – how do you manage to hold down a career and a life?
The designer is a job like all the other ones. Everybody deals with daily difficulties in managing work and life though I never saw career and life as two different and counterpoised things.
The name of the company that I founded 25 years ago with my associate Sergio Beretta is in fact OFFICINA ITALIANA DESIGN (Italian design workshop) to stress the attention on design as a form of work.
How important are The International Yacht and Aviation Awards as recognition of talent and achievement?
I like to share my projects, in which I strongly believe and to know which kind of reactions they cause. It is always a good method to stay grounded. The final judgement is always given by the market but the competition itself is always exciting and a great incitement!
What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?
To see on the water, the boats we are currently working on and to see them appreciated by many customers. That’s the main satisfaction of our daily work.
Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself:
The car you drive?
Range Rover Vogue
Your favourite place to travel to in the world?
Italy
Your favourite hotel?
Grande Bretagne, Athens
Favourite Restaurant?
Ledoyen, Paris
Favourite Bar?
Bar del Palazzetto under my home, with Gianna and Baby
The place that gives you the most energy?
Greece
And the place that enables you to totally relax?
Eleuthera island, Bahamas
Your favourite food?
Pasta aglio, olio, peperoncino e gamberi
Favourite Drink?
Red Italian wine
Anything else interesting?
Art