“Simplicity is not an obstacle to aesthetics”
Tobias Stern is the main product developer at Metallbude. What’s exciting here is that his professional career began on the other side of the action: production. The now 29-year-old originally learned and practiced the profession of construction mechanic. Since February 2022 he has been strengthening the Metallbude team with his know-how. In the interview, Tobias Stern gives an insight into his everyday working life and reveals what makes his work so special for him.
What does the day-to-day work of a product developer at Metallbude look like?
“Of course, every day looks different depending on the stage of development of a product. Primarily, I create product designs and create technical drawings for them. I also create parts lists, have prototypes built and inspect them, discuss technical solutions in the team and optimize existing products. In further steps, I look for potential suppliers for special manufacturing processes and ensure that every new product has good, safe packaging.”
In your job, the creative meets the technical: which area do you personally find more exciting and why?
“I get more involved in the creative part than in the technical part. As we all know, creativity has no limits and so it always remains exciting. On the other hand, it is of course always interesting to find a technically feasible solution to the designed design, because you are limited by factors such as costs and feasibility when implementing it.”
What makes Metallbude’s designs so special?
“The answer to this question doesn't require many words: the design is useful and yet elegant. Because, contrary to what others think, in my personal opinion, simplicity is not an obstacle to aesthetics.”
Assuming there were no guidelines or limits: Which product (design) would you like to develop?
“In fact, I would then get a taste of a neighboring industry and not want to design a product, but rather a building that would help shape the skyline of a city.”
