PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Design Leader Color & Trim and Concept & Strategy
CUPRA & SEAT Design Center, SEAT S.A. Martorell, Spain

- Orchestrating sustainable CMF concepts for compact cars: ideation, development + production 

- Responsible for full C&T conception of A-SUVe Tavascan, A-COSe, Ateca NF, Formentor/Leon PA, etc.

- Directing + ideating exterior paint creation + driving development of new leather/textile colors

- Leading graphic + parametric design activities on interior + exterior for milling, 3D printing + injection

- Holistic C&T creation for special editions (Formentor VZ5, Fuori Serie projects, etc.)

- Shaping Design Philosophy, C&T Strategies, Value Perception Strategy + Sustainable Material Library

- Mentoring + developing team members
 
Senior Designer & Design Project Leader Color & Trim and Concept & Strategy
CUPRA & SEAT Design Center, SEAT S.A. Martorell, Spain

- Full CMF ideation, execution + realization of Tavascan show car

- Coherent graphic conception for showcars + series projects (Born Vision, Born Series)

- Developing new range of materials and surfaces for C&T Strategy ´21

- Enrolling new progressive design style for CUPRA racing suits and racing team wear
 
Master Project „Poetic Materials - How new material-based ways of interaction create an intuititve & emotional UX"
Mercedes-Benz Design Center, Daimler AG Sindelfingen, Germany
- Exploring ways of sensual communication between user and artificial intelligence through materials
- Developing kinetic surfaces as responsive body for the artificial intelligence of autonomous cars
- Matching functional use cases of human-machine-interfaces with digital and material aesthetics
 
Designer Color & Trim Advanced Interior 
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Center, Mercedes-Benz Italia, Como, Italy 
- C&T ideation + realization for R232 SL, EVA 1 EQC and several EVA2 EQS interior and seat models
- Conception + visualization of several AMG Editions for A/C238 E-Class and W177 A-Class
- Creating exclusive decoration trims for Z223 S-Class Maybach
 
Junior Designer Color & Trim Advanced Interior 
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Center, Mercedes-Benz Italia, Como, Italy 
- C&T ideation + realization of show cars (Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA + Concept Generation EQ)
- Ideating + conceptualizing internal C&T Strategy 3.0 in teamwork
- Investigating flat knitting technology („flyknit“) for Mercedes-Benz Design
 
Bachelor Project „Expressive Character Trims“ in Color & Trim Design
Mercedes-Benz Design Center, Daimler AG Sindelfingen, Germany 
- Developing six collections of decoration trim innovations with different suppliers 
- Driving progressive treatments and new technologies (printed wood, back-lit foils, etc.)
 
Intern Color & Trim Design
Volkswagen Group Design Center Potsdam, Volkswagen AG, Germany
- Creating C&T concepts for show cars and pre-series of Bentley, Audi and Volkswagen
- Conceptualizing + realizing my internship project „Symphonic Materials“
 
Intern Color & Trim Design and Research & Strategy
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Center, Mercedes-Benz Italia, Como, Italy 
- Winning ideation phase of Concept S-Class Coupe / Designed draft of engraved alu trim part
- Developing inspirational C&T worlds for ideation of F015 concept car and smart dynamo showcar
- Supervizing advanced phase of X247 GLB seat model with C&T proposals and samples
 
Working Student Color & Trim Design, Team Material Innovations
Mercedes-Benz Design Center, Daimler AG Sindelfingen, Germany
 
Intern Color & Trim Design, Team Material Innovations
Mercedes-Benz Design Center, Daimler AG Sindelfingen, Germany


EDUCATION
 
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland | School of Art & Design
M.A. Design with specialization in Product/Textile Design (5.6/6.0 - best grade possible: 6.0)
Thesis: „Poetic Materials - How material-based ways of interaction create an intuitive & emotional UX“
Research focus master project: - finding ways for a fusion of shy-tech and luxury materials
- new input/output solutions for human-car-interaction in materials & surfaces
- sensual symbiosis of digital & physical materials to make interaction haptically experiencable
Research focus theoretic thesis: - researching for poetic qualities in CMF & material design
- developong a creative canon for poetic design based on applyable design tools & parameters 
 
HEAR Haute école des arts du Rhin Mulhouse, France | Trinational Design Workshop
„Make & Manufacture" - 4D printing technique with PLA 

Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences, Germany | School of Textiles & Design
B.A. Transportation Interior Design (best in class; 1.1/5.0 - best grade possible: 1.0)
Thesis: „Expressive Character Trims for Mercedes-Benz“ (grade 1.0)
 
Nursing Home Johannisheim, Freiburg, Germany | Social service
 
Grimmelshausen-Gymnasium, Offenburg, Germany | Secondary school
Abitur with European Certificate (1.5/5.0 - best grade possible: 1.0)


TEACHING EXPERIENCE 

Projects scheduled with ELISAVA Barcelona and IED Barcelona 

Reviewing semester project as external expert | ESDi Higher School of Design Sabadell, Spain  

Student Mentoring for master thesis „ALTER“ of MA program Design with New Materials  
ELISAVA Barcelona School of Engineering & Design, Spain 

Supervising and leading C&T interns at Seat-CUPRA Design  

Individual student mentoring for portfolio making and application preparation 

Junior Research Conference 2018 at HEAD University of Applied Sciences, Geneve, Switzerland
Speaker and panelist | Research workshop and material experimentation with master students 

Design expert talk + material design workshops | Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences 

Multi-day workshop moderation for children at Technology Fair „Ideenpark“ Essen, Germany


AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIP
 
Auto & Design Car Design Award Finalist | Cupra Vision Tavascan
 
Winner Automotive Brand Contest Award | Cupra Vision Tavascan
German Design Council „Rat für Formgebung“
 
Winner Red Dot Design Concept Award | Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA 
 
German Design Award Newcomer Nominée | Bachelorthesis „Expressive Character Trims“
German Design Council
 
Best Bachelor Graduate Transporation Interior Design 2014   
Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences
 
Scholarship Art/Film/Design
German National Academic Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes
 
5th Maier S.Coop Design Award Finalist | Personal Design Project
 
BASF Design Competition „sit down.move“ Finalist | Semester Project
BASF Design Fabrik Ludwigshafen
 
Interior Motives Student Design Award Shortlisted | Semester Project
CDN Car Design News 


DEDICATION

Student representative & member of SUMO student organisation School of Art & Design
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland | Master Program Design
 
Selected student for the master program‘s evaluation
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland | Master Program Design
 
Participant of student workshop „University of the future“ 
Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland | Master Program Design
Invited to define future concepts and visualize strategic ideas for a creative school in 2030
during a three-day speculative workshop with other student representatives
 
Accreditation Council Member
Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences, Germany | Department Transportation Interior Design
 
Member Committee for Design | Member for the representation of the students‘ interests
Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences, Germany | School of Textiles & Design
 
Student representative & organizer of degree shows and excursions
Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences, Germany | Department Transportation Interior Design


SKILLS

Sound project and stakeholder management with suppliers, sales, development, purchasing etc.
Strategic design and systems thinking + Inspiring others by providing compelling vision
Creating synergies by fostering teamwork and collaboration
Mentoring, motivating and developing colleagues
Refined presentation and visualization + Deep expertise in design narrative + story telling
Strong self-awareness and self-reflection capabilities
 
Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator + InDesign (excellent knowledge)
Autodesk VRED + Showcase (good knowledge)
Autodesk MAYA, Alias Automotive/Surface/Design + Rhino (basic knowledge)
Creative Coding with Processing (basic knowledge)
 
Laser cutting & engraving, deep-drawing of plastics, manual perforation and broguing
Sewing and stitching, mechanical embroidery and quilting
Textile digital print technique and screen printing, handloom weaving + semiautomatic weaving
Inkjet printing on leather, wood veneer and foils
 
German (mother tongue)                              English (fluent)
Italian (basic knowledge)                             French (basic knowledge)
Latin (Latin Proficiency Certificate)            Ancient Greek (Greek Language Examination)


ACTIVITIES & INTERESTS
 
Pottery, photography, experimental photo manipulation + graphic design, painting
 
Cultivating a collection of more than 250 aroids, succulents and cacti
 
Regularly enjoying concerts, contemporary dance and opera
 
Running, skiing, hiking, yoga and sailing