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Erik Spiekermann Interview

Mar 16, 09:03 PM by Marko

Erik Spiekermann Interview


Interview with Erik Spiekermann


    Erik Spiekermann is typographic designer, author and
    typedesigner. In 1979 he founded MetaDesign and built it
    into Europe’s largest design studio until his departure in
    2001. With his partners at SpiekermannPartners
    (offices
    are in Berlin, London and San Francisco), he works for
    Bosch, Deutsche Bahn (German Railways), Pioneer Investment,
    Messe Frankfurt, Nokia, Birkhäuser Verlag, amongst
    others, designing corporate design systems, magazine
    layouts and exclusive typefaces. Erik is Honorary
    Professor at the University of the Arts in Bremen and
    recently received an honorary doctorship from Pasadena
    Art Center.

Hi Erik,How are you doing these days?
Erik: very busy; behind a few deadlines

When did you first encounter a keyboard or computer?
Erik: in 1968, when Berthold introduced the first Diatronic typesetter

What is your favorite art work / type!?
Erik: My favorite typeface is Block

When you launched www.spiekermann.com V2.0 are you happy with the result of the site?
Erik: yes, but i still don’t have enough time to add content

Would you care to give us a brief overview of what a typical day is
like for you ?

Erik: i get up very early and sit down at my desk at home around 7 to read
the emails that come in at night; i get to the office around 9:30 and
leave for home around 8. Then we have dinner, read or watch a bit of
TV. Then i check emails and some blogs until around 1am. At least
twice a week i have to travel somewhere, so the routine is a little
different.

At the moment i am in San Francisco, so Germany is 8 hours ahead.
Which means i have dozens of emails from the office in Berlin when i
sit down at my computer in the morning.

Who are some of your biggest influences?
Erik: friends, the world around me, travel, music, reading

What kind of music do you fancy?
Erik: very eclectic, but a lot of singer-songwriter stuff and folkish music

What’s your favorite food?
Erik: Indian

What OS do you use ?
Erik: MacOS X

What inspires you? This doesn’t have to be design related.

Erik: friends, the world around me, travel, music, reading…

Thanks for your time Prof. Erik.

  1. Luke Dorny    Mar 16, 10:15 PM    #

    Wonderful. You mean he’s human?!
    Love the new film you’re in, Mr. Spiekermann (Helvetica). You’ve been an inspiration for years.

    Thanks for you design contributions.


  2. Kathryn George    Apr 1, 10:58 PM    #

    It’s aways fun to read interviews about the people you admire and find out they’re fesh and blood just like you. Mr. Spiekermann has a major infuence on me. Wish I could meet him! He’s such a wonderful designer.


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