Konrad Friedel

Lamp maker

©Martin Brack

©Philipp Forstner

©Tobias Friedel

©Toni König

©Tobias Friedel

Enthusiastic about beauty

Konrad's designs are characterised by independence and timelessness
He is at his most creative in solitude
New machinery often inspires him to develop his own techniques

A little outside of Vienna is Konrad Friedel's studio, tucked away in a late baroque complex that includes a three-storey factory building and a romantically overgrown park with fairy tale stone sculptures. In this little bubble, he cuts himself off from the world, preferring to work alone – for himself – without any distractions. Getting creative exchanges at work is not important to him. “I'm already bursting with ideas and my drawer is filled with sketches.” Konrad has mastered the processing of a wide range of materials. His wide-ranging skills enable him to design, build and install complete high end interior fittings all by himself. “I have been a craftsman for over 20 years now. Meanwhile I am blessed to receive requests for my style and way of working from my customers.”

Interview

©Philipp Forstner

©Tobias Friedel

Where does your commitment to quality come from ?: I am very precise while working. My concentration is absolute. I often look at the objects for a long time, from different angles and very close up. I guess I am a perfectionist, but above that I really have a love for detail.
What is your source of inspiration?: I can't really name a specific source of inspiration. A quality that I am constantly inspired by is beauty. I can be completely captivated by it almost anywhere. It is also a huge motivation for me to know that I have the ability to create objects I consider to be beautiful.
Do you pride yourself on being the master of a certain techniques?: II try not to rely too heavily on traditional techniques, rather I like to find new ways of working and make my own methods of making. This is because I strive to give my objects their own unique identity and strong sense of independence.
How do you develop new techniques?: I enjoy searching for new machinery for my workshop. While using a new machine, I often come up with different ideas and new paths. Sometimes the paths are worth exploring. Currently, I enjoy working with a technique I developed which reminds me of old leather-covered lampshades. In contrast to leather, however, this method is much more flexible in design terms.

Konrad Friedel is a master artisan: he began his career in 2001 and he started teaching in 2015