Product Developer Tobias Stern in Interview

"Simplicity is no obstacle to aesthetics"

Tobias Stern is the main product developer at Metallbude. What's interesting: His professional career started on the other side of the process: production. The now 29-year-old originally trained and worked as a construction mechanic. Since February 2022, he has been enhancing the Metallbude team with his expertise. In the interview, Tobias Stern gives an insight into his professional everyday life and reveals what makes his work so special for him.

What does a product developer's workday look like at Metallbude ?

"Every day looks different depending on the development stage of a product. Primarily, I design product designs and create technical drawings for them.In addition, I create parts lists, have prototypes built and inspect them, discuss technical solutions with the team, and optimize existing products. In further steps, I look for potential suppliers for special manufacturing processes and ensure that each new product receives good, safe packaging."

In your profession, the creative meets the technical: Which area do you personally find more exciting and why?

"In the creative part, I thrive even more than in the technical part. Creativity, as we know, knows no boundaries, so it always remains exciting there."On the other hand, it is always interesting to find a technically feasible solution to the designed design, because the realization is limited by factors such as cost and feasibility."

What makes the designs of Metallbude so special?

"The answer to this question does not require many words: The design is useful and yet elegant. Because simplicity is not an obstacle to aesthetics, contrary to the opinion of others, in my personal opinion."

Assuming there were no guidelines and limits: Which product (design) would you like to develop?

"Actually, I would then want to dip my toes into a neighboring industry and not design a product, but a building that significantly shapes the skyline of a city."