Stefan Diez

Stefan Diez (born 1971 in Freising) is a German industrial designer whose Munich-based studio, DIEZ OFFICE, develops furniture, accessories, and exhibition designs.

Early life and education
Born in 1971 in Freising, Germany, to a family of "4th-generation carpenters", Diez had grown up around carpentry and cabinetmaking, which influenced his design. His introduction to furniture design started in 1991 when he worked as a cabinetmaker for three years. After spending a year working in Mumbai and Poona, India, Diez returned to Germany in 1996.

He matriculated at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart, where he earned a Bachelor's of Industrial Design in 2002 while studying under the likes of Richard Sapper.

Career
Before founding his own design studio DIEZ OFFICE in January 2003, Diez worked for Richard Sapper and then Konstantin Grcic. Since then, he has worked in various fields of design ranging from furniture and tableware to industrial design, as well as exhibition design for companies like Brunner, e15, Gandiablasco, HAY, Herman Miller, Magis, Midgard, Moroso, Rosenthal, Thonet, Vibia, Wilkhahn, Wagner and others. Diez's "Upon Bench" debuted at imm Cologne in 2007 to critical acclaim. His Model No. 404 chair was influenced by the work of Michael Thonet, and is produced by Thonet.

Many of his products have received international design awards, including the “Designpreis der Bundesrepublik Deutschland”, the IF Gold award, and the Red Dot "Best of the Best". Diez won the 2024 Comapasso d'Oro for his Costume modular sofa for Magis.

Starting in 2007, Diez started teaching at the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design and in 2015 he joined the faculty of Lund University's School of Industrial Design in Lund, Sweden. Since 2018, he has served as the Head of Industrial Design at the University of Applied Arts Vienna.

Sustainability
He considers "circular design" to be a key principle of his product design philosophy and "his products put forward a sustainable approach that combines multiplicity of use with superior durability". In fact, his AYNO lamp, designed for Midgard, received the 2021 German Sustainability Award.

Selected works

 * MUDRA for BRUNNER chair family 2022
 * PLUSMINUS for VIBIA lighting system 2022
 * 4th WALL with VIBIA AND MANY OTHERS temporary installation 2021–2022
 * COSTUME for MAGIS modular sofa 2021
 * MOD for SAMMODE lighting system 2021
 * AYNO for MIDGARD lighting family 2020
 * SHIRO for SCHÖNWALD tableware 2019
 * HOUDINI 10 YEARS for E15 wooden chair family 2019
 * D1 for WAGNER office chair collection
 * FALLSTAFF for DANTE armchair 2018
 * NEW ORDER for HAY furniture system
 * 404 for THONET chair

2022

 * 2022 AW Designer of the year

2021

 * The Good Design Gold Award for Costume by MAGIS
 * German Design award 2022 for D2 by Wagner
 * Archiproducts Design Awards for Costume by MAGIS with special mention for sustainability

2020

 * Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis – The National German Sustainability Award 2020 for AYNO by Midgard
 * German Design Award in Gold 2020 for SHIRO by Schönwald
 * German Design Award 2020, Excellent Product Design, for RGB by Burgbad

2019

 * 2019 Wallpaper Design Award für Pendelleuchte „Guise“
 * 2019 Architectural Digest The Cleverest Awards 2019 for RGB by Burgbad

2018

 * 2018 Red Dot Best of the Best Award für Stuhl „D1“


 * Interior Innovation Award imm Cologne, winner of the „best of the best award” for the product „D1” by Wagner
 * German Design Award 2018 winner for the product „GUISE“ by Vibia
 * Red Dot Best of the Best Award 2018 for the product”GUISE” by Vibia

2016

 * Red Dot Best of the Best Award für Kaminofen „Logastyle Lucrum“
 * German Design Award 2016 for the project “LOGASTYLE LUCRUM” by Buderus

2015

 * Red Dot Award 2015, for the product „YARD” Lounge chair by EMU
 * Wallpaper* Design Award, Best grid for the product „YARD” Armchair by EMU

2011

 * 2011 2 × Red Dot Best of the Best Award für „Chassis“ und „Homme“

2007

 * 2007 Materialica Design & Technology Award

2006

 * Designpreis der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Silber (2006) für sein für Thomas gestaltetes Oven-to-table Programm (feuerfestes Geschirr)

2004

 * interior innovation award der internationalen Möbelmesse imm cologne (2004)
 * Internationaler Designpreis Baden-Württemberg, GER (2004) »Genio« + »Tema«
 * Die Gute Industrieform / iF, GER (2004) »Genio« + »Tema«

2002

 * Bayerischer Staatspreis für Nachwuchsdesigner (2002)
 * Design Report Award (2002)

Selected publications

 * Archiproducts
 * Baunetz
 * NOMAD MAGAZINE
 * AW Designer of the year 2022
 * DAMN MAGAZINE
 * Goethe Institut