About Me
EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Product design; interior design; experience design; design and user research; brand and marketing strategy; interface design.
WORK HISTORY:
Olaf Recht Design (Luxembourg) (June 2010 – Present)
I shape experiences, I form objects and create atmospheres.
My work ranges from traditional industrial design to interiors, furniture, lighting, exteriors, houses and interaction in general.
I am shaping experiences and interaction on many different levels, a product that just has to work in its environment, a space that has to satisfy its user and user experiences that change brands and perception. A product has to earn its right of existence and work in and with its surroundings. This way design creates value.
I come from a traditional consumer design background, worked in very specific fields such as medical device development, complex and intricate interface design, shaped brand strategies and over time emerged into interior, furniture and lighting design. Now all this experience comes together in my projects.
Some very interesting projects at the moment.
‘Long Lives The Summer 2023’ is starting on September 15th. The shopping and party event that will take you on a little city trip in Luxembourg city. The event got a new make over, organizing spaces, creating summer vibes and enhancing the overall experience.
Rethinking the conference / event experience at the Luxemburgish convention center LuxExpo TheBox. We created an impressive immersive room with a very large Led wall screen for future events and new ways of experiencing a conference. The custom furniture elements allow for a multitude of configurations and experiences for very different events.
The swimming pool in Niederanven ‘Syrdall Schwemm’ got a new terrasse with custom built benches, tables and planters and a redesigned entrance area.
The ‘Commune de Niederanven’ asked about rethinking the use of a large square right next to the town hall.
I was asked to be part of the ‘Équipe d’évaluation’ at the ‘School Des Arts Et Métiers’ (Lycée des Arts et Métiers) in the areas of product and graphic design for the Ministry of Education in the area of professional formation. I’m also member of the ‘Commission de la validation des acquis de l’expérience’.
Jury member of the 2019 Luxembourg Design Awards.
The Pebble family is growing. A new dining chair was revealed at this years ‘Mains de Maître’ exhibition end of November together with a new floor lamp.
The Pebble Chair series got refined and the prototype status changed to first articles delivered to the Castles of Bourglinster and Bourscheid.
I finally designed my first house. The design evolved from the inside user experience to the outside appearance and construction will start in November 2018. I created all plan drawings and the interior design. The building will be developed with the help of Axial Architekten in Wiesbaden.
In November 2016 I released several new products that are currently on show in the ‘Mains de Maître’ exhibition in the old ARBED building in Luxembourg city, the current BCEE headquarter and at the ‘Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain’.
The ‘Pebble’ Lounge chair and the ‘Paddle’ lamp series are the beginning of personnaly creating, producing and marketing furniture and products ‘Made in Luxembourg’. Please contact me for any additional information.
Other current work involves the rebranding for a company offering dietary products and weight management programs, including their website, patient and physicians App and trade show presence.
I just put the finishing touches on a couple of office interior designs, both with very different approaches and space and furniture treatments.
Recently I worked on a very interesting project with Bacon Design Gmbh in Frankfurt, exploring and defining the future product road map for the Oral-B / Braun electric toothbrush line. The focus was to develop a cohesive design language and an intuitive and emotional product interaction.
Another current project for Braun is the rethinking and redesign of the complete shelving and presentation/sale system for the Saturn Media Markt chain.
Binsfeld Communication asked me to collaborate on a concept and design competition for an exhibition / visiting center, explaining the ongoing and future construction sites in Kirchberg, Luxembourg, in the context of the urban development for the future tramway system.
Recent projects also involved interior design development for a 4-star-superior hotel in the Swiss Alps, an office interior, lobby and reception area redesign of the BGL BNP Paribas Headquarter and furniture and lighting designs for Bolia.com, BoConcept and Frandsen Lighting. Further projects include the interior design for a co-working space in Luxembourg, the planning and development of a vegetarian butcher store.
In addition, branding and design consulting for Brunswick Marine and support for Jim Clemes Architects in a project competition invitation for the Qatar Railway Company.
Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corp. (Valencia, CA. USA) (Oct. 2007 to Sept. 2009)
Product conception and development for spinal cord stimulation, occipital nerve stimulation for severe migraine treatment and deep brain stimulation implants. Work comprised of overall system conception, research in a variety of fields, interface development and external product development.
Work ranged from strategic research and development to production liaison and manufacturing control.
Advanced Bionics, Corp. (Sylmar, CA. USA) (Dec. 2003 – Sept. 2007)
Medical corporation developing electro-stimulating implants for a variety of indications, including cochlear implants. Work involved future product systems development, surgical procedures and improvements, as well as fitting software development.
Product Design Teacher (Pasadena, Ca. USA) (2005)
Taught a product design class in conjunction with SolidWorks (Fall 2004). Guest critic for product design classes of Norm Schurman and Fridolin Beisert.
Freelance Design (Venice, CA. USA) (2004-2008)
Design development for Dräger, Magellan, Nokia and Applied Identity in collaboration with Pulse Global.
Intransit Gbr (Berlin, Germany) (Jan. 2003 – Nov. 2003)
Co-Founder of a multidisciplinary design consultancy, active in product design, interaction and interactive design for space and web. Clients included: AVM, Deloitte, Loterie Nationale.
Olaf Recht Design (Luxembourg) (Jan. 2002 – Dec. 2002)
Work comprised of corporate identity work for the National Lottery in Luxembourg and conception and interior design for a lounge/bar.
Design and development of a furniture line manufactured in Indonesia. Exhibited at the first DesignMai 2003 (Berlin).
RKS Design, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA. USA) (July 1999 – Dec. 2001)
Designer (1999-2000); Senior Designer / Project Manager (2001)
Clients included: Amana / Maytag, Canon, Hewlett Packard, Fossil, Gibson, Interbath ,Coleman.
Work ranged from consumer electronics to medical design, consumer goods and toys. Involvement from concept generation to engineering support.
Design Continuum Italia (Milan, Italy) (Jan. – July 1997)
Internship
Clients included: Atomic, Koflach, Oxygen, Boehringer Mannheim.
Substantial involvement in Blood Glucose Meter development and ski boot design.
EDUCATION:
Art Center College of Design (Pasadena, USA), Bachelor of Science in Product Design (May 1996- Aug. 1998)
Art Center College of Design, Europe (La Tour de Peilz, Switzerland), (Jan. 1995 – April 1996)
Lyçée des Garçons de Luxembourg (Luxembourg), Degree in ‚Section Artistique‘ (July 1994)