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

Selected awards

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2016

2015

2011

2007

2006

2004

2002

Selected publications