Harry Miesbauer

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Harry Miesbauer ("HM") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

HM : I studied yacht design at the well-known Solent University in Southampton / UK, graduating in 1998. Then I work for two masters at its time, Luca Brenta and the Frers Studio, both in Milan. Coming from a technical background, I do have also a degree in mechanical engineering.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

HM : I always say to my guys in the studio: “there are so many ugly things out there, we need to create beautiful things, beautiful yachts, where the owner is proud of, also after five or ten years”. Wasn’t it Dostoevsky, who meant in one of his novels “Beauty will save the world”…I think, in these words lies my everyday motivation.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

HM : No, nobody forced me. it was a natural choice. I always loved drawing, creating things. I was, at beginning of my career, more technical, performance orientated when designing yachts. Now, being more than 25 years in the yacht design business, I do like the styling and aesthetical side more. I think, a pretty natural path.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

HM : We are a yacht design studio in the “classical” sense. We provide the full package of yacht design, from the naval architecture, naval & structural engineering up to the exterior styling and interior design. Being still an active sailor, I’m specialised on sailing yachts. We also do motor yachts in the studio... but my heart and passion is definitely much more towards the sailing side, and that’s why I would like to do only sailing yachts. at the end

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

HM : If we talk about my design discipline, the yacht design… go sailing, be on boats, be on yachts. you have to understand, you have to use, to live the things you are designing, then you become a good designer. And you need passion for design.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

HM : Great designers are setting trends, have their own design language, they stick a bit out of the crowd.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

HM : I think, Dieter Rams’ 10 principles of Good Design answers this question perfectly in a scientific/German way. But good design is more than scientific black and white. Really good design needs to touch you also on the emotional side in the first millisecond. If you look on something, and your first impression is “wow” then you are on the right track. if you have to explain why something is good design, why it is beautiful, then you got something wrong in the beginning.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

HM : I think, there are so many examples out there where the good design made the difference compared to their competitors. if I look on my specific field. 25 years ago we looked much more on the technical side, the performance of our yachts and the design came with it, now we focus much more on the aesthetics of the yachts, and the technical part has to be done proper anyway. Of course everybody should invest in good design. It gives you an edge.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

HM : a 100ft high performance sailing yacht, but we started with some sketches.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

HM : proportions are everything…. but every designer will tell you that. secret ingredient? going through world with open eyes… I’m never short on ideas.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

HM : Flavio Manzoni, design director of Ferrari. He has a special design language. and made a great impact on their design by creating an internal studio stile.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

HM : The Scuderia 65, a 65 ft racer/cruiser, we had a very challenging design brief. The first preliminary concept came out very nice, was very pleasing from the beginning. and the final design was just slightly modified from the first concept for technical reasons we won a very important regatta in Greece with it , so performance is there. we won some design awards with it, where finalist in some awards. So the aesthetics are okay as well. The client is still very happy with his boat.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

HM : As in everything, experience helps. Being open for new approaches helps as well.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

HM : I would have worked as an engineer, I guess.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

HM : Creating objects, in my case yachts, which people are proud of, which they dare to possess, and obviously which work in our harsh environment, the open sea … elegance is the new performance….

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

HM : I learned a lot working side by side with Luca Brenta… but that’s long time ago

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

HM : Being based close to Milan, which is one of the capitals of Design helps a lot. You get a different mindset for design around here.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

HM : There are always obstacles in live, career, you name it. The obstacle never end. you just know to handle them easier when you are older.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

HM : a nice 45foot series production sailing yacht with a new design language.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

HM : I think goals should change every day.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

HM : I don’t know what people expect…. but my clients expect beautiful yachts which even work well in rough seas.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

HM : I think, we as a designer have the privilege to create things, objects, for a lot of people, and things which they use in their every day’s live. So we better make our designs beautiful and try to bring a smile on their faces, bring some joy to them. Even if it is just for a second. Design which is beautiful normally doesn’t cost more.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

HM : we are working on a very nice 60foot sailing yacht with a special interior design.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

HM : Again the Scuderia 65, a 65 ft racer/cruiser. I was on board when we won a very important 600nm regatta in Greece, the Aegean 600, with the yacht. why? being on board what you have designed in many hours, seeing that the design concept also worked performance wise, and then winning that race, was literally “the icing on the cake” of a very long project.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

HM : I think , lot of design is commercially driven in the moment. a bit like music now… maybe because of instgram etc. everything is a bit levelled to an average taste. I would like to see more designs with personality, even if it’s a bit wild, a bit out of the normal schemes. you don’t have to be everyone’s darling.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

HM : AI is unfortunately a big issue right now in our field. Of course it might be inspiring, effective, you name it. but isn’t a bit too impersonal, doesn’t it lack of humanity?

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

HM : a year to one and a half year, depending on the size of the yacht

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

HM : for us as yacht designers it’s a bit specific... you need to get the weight right first ... then we design the first hull shape, and then the fun part, the real design work starts.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

HM : Get me a good cappuccino in the morning at the bar and I’m happy for the rest of the day

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

HM : That’s the “chicken and egg” questions. It really depends what you are designing. maybe nowadays designs follow too often trends, copying others.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

HM : Having a big technical part in our designs, like hydro- and aerodynamics, technology plays obviously a big role in our work

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

HM : very important, obviously for the interior design. very important is also the light design, for both exterior and interior of the yachts

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

HM : I can’t generalise that, but I need to be touched by the design in one or the other way

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

HM : I’ don’t have a specific ideal design partner. I do believe in co-design/teamwork otherwise I would not go sailing with big boats, with big crews. And I do believe in the “youngsters” in our team. fresh minds are always inspiring.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

HM : When I started my own studio more then 15 years ago, you could see that I worked at the Brenta studio before. now, I think, influences come from everyone and everything.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

HM : Antonio Vivaldi. I would like to discuss with him about beauty, about harmony.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

HM : Happy about the awards, at least you know that the hard works pays off in a way . hard to be famous? nothing has changed

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

HM : colour: light blue place: on the sea with a sailing yacht, Lake Como, Sicily food: all Italian food season: all four seaons have their beauty thing : pen and my sketchbook brand: I care about them, but, I don’t believe in brands. it’s not religion for me… things are either beautiful or ugly, good or bad, etc. no matter which brand they are

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

HM : when I came to Italy to the Brenta office I spoke almost no Italian. On one afternoon I was alone in the office and somebody called -it was still the time before everybody had a mobile phone- who spoke only Italian and asked for Luca (Brenta). I didn’t understand a word. he said he will call later ( later means in Italian “piu tardi” and hung up. So, when Luca came back he asked me if someono called. I said: “Yes, Mr. Piu tardi “

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

HM : It was obvious that it will be some creative work. For sure I didn’t want to become a policeman

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

HM : For sure, the earth will rotate around itself in 24 hours