I started by making studies of a lamp which little by little diverged from the idea of “make it yourself”, but as I wanted to see it finished I ended up by having it made.  First of all there were the prototypes, of course, and then finally the industrial production tools I had been dreaming about.

LSD:  What have you tried to express in your lamps?

EH:  First of all, I wanted to propose an object which adapted to a person’s wishes and needs rather than one which imposed itself upon you. I wanted to create a simple object that called for a simple gesture.  I like to think that the user will build shapes that perhaps I wouldn’t have done, and has fun doing it (at least, that’s what I hope!)  I like the fact that the person is inevitably active when he confronts the object.  I wanted to propose a lamp that consist of potentially luminous objects more than a finished form.  To sum up, a system rather than a form.

LSD:  Would you call yourself a French designer?  And if there is something special about French design, what do you think it is?
EH:  A priori, I would never have had the idea to call myself a French designer.  The work I do necessarily reflects my cultural background, but I must say that I am also American and I have almost always lived in a mix of cultures.  First of all in my family, then in Germany where I was very much immersed in Berlin culture, which itself was searching for a certain unity.  I think that I owe a lot to thees experiencse and that this mix of cultural influences is also my singularity. I would not necessarily say that there is an approach to design which is specifically French, but if you look for a trend, it seems to me that the French are very attracted to forms, and that my approach is undoubtedly more in the German vein, more focused on function.  What strikes me is that the design for an object (maybe French, but surely not just French) often results from an approach that is more sculptural than structural, sometimes giving more importance to line than to functionality.

LSD:  How do you see lamp design developing in 2007?
EH:  It seems to me that in recent years there has been a tendancy towards luminous objects or furniture, rather than lamps per se.  This trend is above all a result of the development of light sources that emit very low levels of heat and so can be confined within a limited space.  Today, people are especially using lighting objects to create luminous moods, but they don’t give a lot of light, and I think that is going to change.Maybe some day in the future there won’t be any more lamps, but only pieces of furniture with their own integrated lighting.

LSD:  What about you, what are your projects?

EH:  I would like to develop Remake Design furniture, furniture that is ingenious and uses new high-performance materials.  But I would also very much like to design products and furniture for other brands.

LSD:  May I ask you a personal question?  What lamps do you use at home?

EH:  I have a little collection of lamps, classics from the 20s to the 70s, and also some special finds I’ve picked up here and ther of which I am particularly fond.  Unfortunately I have too many to be able to use them all, so I have had to put some in the basement; but when I get the urge to modify a space, I change lamps. I confess, I also have a pink Remake Light next to my bed.

LSD: Finally, could you give our internauts a little advice? According to you, what are the secrets of successful lighting?