We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Catherine MOSBACH ("CM").
Mosbach paysagistes believe on power of landscape to inspire imagination and creativity of each individual. Mosbach is co-editor and co-founder of the magazine PAGES PAYSAGES. Each project -Gateway Park, Louvre Lens, Botanical Garden of Bordeaux, Archeological Park of Solutre- is strongly linked on his specific context with an original design. Among the awards, she get the Rosa Barba 2003 for Botanical Garden 2003 and the Equerre d’Argent for Louvre Lens 2013. Mosbach is visiting professor in GSD Harvard and get, the 14th July 2016, the grade of officer of the Legion of Honor appointed by the President of the Republic Francois Hollande.
Catherine MOSBACH Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Catherine MOSBACH.
Designer Interview of Catherine MOSBACH:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
CM : -My background is biology physic chimie University Louis Pasteur Strasbourg. I train landscape architecture in Versailles ENSP then I do a DEA EHESS Paris. -I grow up in a country site in Alsace. So my primary need was to work outdoor and developed sensitive ideas outdoor. -No. I first wanted to be Forestry Engineer to spent my life in Forest. But I understood that most of time was spented in offices.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
CM : -We spent long time on each project as each one is very specific. We begin our practice by creating The magazine Pages Paysages to share the experimental level with most of people and abroad. -We continue to do that in our practice.
DI: What is "design" for you?
CM : Engage poetry in everyday life for every one.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
CM : Large park linked to architecture urban and cultural goal to reach to emphases value of our humanities.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
CM : I have many. Botanical Garden of Bordeaux is a first step. Then Louvre Lens is a very strong Link between architecture and landscape with very inspired architecture team. For Taiwan wait and see.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
CM : I mainly design only for public space.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
CM : Earth work as it is both primitive and modern.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
CM : When I discover the power of design in the real place as a process in evolution.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
CM : The precision in the randomness.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
CM : Happiness
DI: What makes a design successful?
CM : To reach a large public
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
CM : The originality and unicity.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
CM : To educated people to be more creative and respectful to the planet earth
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
CM : It is going more and more important for landscape design every where. But the Field need time to get tradition and critics like in architecture. It is a young Field.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
CM : -Triennial Milano 2016 -Venise Sao Paulo
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
CM : -Biologie -By learning more and more from real life. -Philosopher, movie maker, art critic, friends, artist..
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
CM : -Unacademic -Each place is unique so each design need to involve a specific answer unique as life -To play with life power
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
CM : -Paris -Yes. I suppose as when I give lecture abroad sometimes it looks like I come from the moon. -Always links tradition and background with reinterpretation of future possibilities
DI: How do you work with companies?
CM : In confidence and inspirations, each partner bring his knowledge to bring experimentation to success.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
CM : -To work together as neer as possible to invented new designs parameters. -By having her own opinion and not follow main streams.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
CM : I use my pencil at the same time as my mind and trust to my intuition. I do not think fisrt and draw after. I draw and try to find a way to make a process fit to a program. Anyway we always give answer to a program.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
CM : Suspended bed. Greenhouse. Bathroom as a living room.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
CM : Wake up with the bird songs. Go to bistro take breakfast.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
CM : -Follow your line whatever happens. -Train your own brain and thoughts by reading and writing so that you can share your ideas with the future generation
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
CM : Do want you want Unstable income
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
CM : Practice and practice to learn from unknown
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
CM : Open mind and flexibility to adapt behavior on realities
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
CM : -Pencil -Trace and many books
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
CM : By have a constant process and make things 100% . 100% work 100% free time.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
CM : A landscape project is around 10years from beginning to end of construction.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
CM : Louvre Lens
DI: Who are some of your clients?
CM : Cities (Bordeaux, Taichung) Region (North Pas de Calais)
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
CM : Detail design when everything become realities.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
CM : Back to publication one day.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
CM : Develop myself but always in dialogue with partners.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
CM : We do very strong proposal for 2 projects in Doha.