Interview with Anna Koppmann
You are a »Finalist« for the German Design Award 2023 – Newcomer. What does this award mean for you and your work?
The award is a great confirmation for me that there are many ideas and potential in new ways of thinking. My focus in the design process is always on addressing social challenges. The recognition through the award motivates me to continue on this path.
In your portfolio, you have divided your work into three major themes. Please describe these topics again briefly. Is there an area that is particularly close to your heart?
In my portfolio I have devoted myself to three important questions of our time: How do we want to live together? How can we save energy in our own homes? And how can we make production more ecologically sustainable? With my products, I want to show that product design can provide practical answers to these questions. The topic of civil courage is particularly close to my heart, which is why I developed the product »First Aid Gloves«, a disposable glove printed with first aid instructions as a »cheat sheet for saving lives«.
With these topics you cover a large area of the world. Are there still topics beyond that that would interest you? Perhaps in the future?
As a product designer, I would like to show alternatives with climate-friendly products that promote an increasingly self-sufficient way of life instead of fuelling the climate crisis. One example is the Plus Minus 25°C project – a curtain that can regulate the room temperature without electricity thanks to its coating. I think it would be exciting in the future to integrate the topic of solar energy more into our living spaces and our everyday lives.
What constitutes »contemporary product design« for you? Could you define the term?
Contemporary product design influences different realities of life, combines aesthetics with quality, social relevance and delivers intelligent solutions. I want to make the world more beautiful and comfortable, while ensuring that this is done in a sustainable and meaningful way. From the climate crisis to forest dieback to the lack of civil courage, there are answers that product design can provide.
What are you currently working on?
At the moment I am a scholarship holder of the CREATIVE PROTOTYPING funding project, which is awarded by the University of the Arts in Berlin. My goal is to develop the project »First Aid Gloves« to market maturity within one year and at the same time to raise awareness of the issue of civil courage in Germany.
