shigeru ban + antonio citterio + richard sapper at BODW 2011

shigeru ban + antonio citterio + richard sapper at BODW 2011 left: shigeru ban, photo by hiroyuki hirai right: centre pompidou-metz, photo by didier boy de la tour

business of design week 2011 returns with a line-up of creative legends in the field of design and innovation. the world’s best design leaders will share their talent and knowledge with the audience including design professionals, business owners, brand management practitioners, design students and anyone interested in design. here are some names of key speakers, who are no stranger to the design and innovation fields:

considered one of TIME magazine’s 21st century top innovators, architecture superstar shigeru ban is best known for his work with paper. he is the first japanese artist to construct a building entirely out of recycled cardboard paper tubes, combining sustainability with aesthetic beauty. ban is one of japan’s leading experimental designers embracing a combination of western and eastern building methods. this mastermind’s ideas have been particularly effective in providing emergency housing for disaster victims around the world. he created VAN (voluntary architects network), an NGO which produced temporary structures for emergency victims including those in the kobe earthquake in 1995. his paper-frame school house were also employed in china after the sichuan earthquake. this earned ban the thomas jefferson medal in architecture. since then, his emergency DIY refugee shelters have been used by the un high commission for refugees for earthquake victims in turkey and in war-torn rwanda. after this year’s 3.11 earthquake and tsunami in japan, ban built partition for the victims living in the shelter to avoid distress from lack of privacy. shigeru ban is BODW 2011’s closing speaker, presenting on saturday, december 3rd, 2011.

left: antonia citterio, photo by wolfgang scheppe right: edel headquarters, hamburg germany by antonio citterio, patricia viel and partners, photo by klaus frahm

born in 1950, acclaimed italian designer antonio citterio has worked with international brands from Hermès ansorg, iittala, kartell, vitra to maxalto, a B&B italia brand he single-handedly co-ordinates and designs for. he has also been hired for contemporary residences and luxury boutique hotels including the lavish bulgari resort in bali. the native of meda’s furnitures are best characterized as simple, modern and elegant. he and patricia viel founded and run the studio, antonio citterio patricia viel and partners. internationally, citterio has received numerous awards for his industrial and home products including the compasso d’oro-adi award, the highest industrial design prize in italy. his exceptional pieces are currently part of the permanent collection in moma in new york and at the centre georges pompidou in paris. antonio citterio will speak on thursday, december 1st, 2011.

left: richard sapper right: richard sapper and marc zanuso algol television

one of the most versatile minds in the product design industry, richard sapper is a pioneer who has created technically complex objects from ships to watches. a ten time winner of the compassi d’oro, he has conceived over 200 unique products in the space of 50 years. his most iconic creations include the ‘melodic kettle’ for alessi, the ‘tizio’ work lamp for artemide and the grillo telephone, a precursor to today’s flip mobile phones. other brands which have commissioned him include b&b italia, castelli, tag heuer, italora, knoll international, telefunken and unifor. he has designed for innovative consumer label alessi since 1977 and been a consultant in the auto industry for fiat and pirelli tires. richard sapper will speak on friday, december 2nd, 2011.

to learn more about the long list of renowned design masters featuring in BODW, visit www.bodw.com. from now until the end of october, BODW is offering an early-bird special, a 20% discount off the purchase of either the 3-day or 1-day pass. please visit http://www.bodw.com/2011/en/registration.php to register now.