Jozeph Forakis
C001710
USA・Italian ／ Product Design・Development & Consulting
Jozeph Forakis is responsible for some of the most iconic and successful product designs of the last two decades. The landmark Havana lamp helped establish Foscarini as a preeminent producer of contemporary lighting and is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York. The award-winning Logitech Cordless Mouseman Pro, created while consulting at the DARC design think-tank in Milan, transformed computer mouse design with its ergonomic "vertical mouse" concept and first-ever thumb button. The innovative Irony Scuba 200 diver's watch elevated design standards for Swatch. As European Design Director for Motorola (1999-2002), he led the design team for the revolutionary V.70 cellphone. Other celebrated designs include the Spectre lounge chair for Dune NY.
Based in Milan and New York, his studio jozeph forakis … design works across diverse industries with international clients, including CL Yachts, Haier, Kikkerland, Leonardo Helicopters, Normann Copenhagen, LG Electronics, Magis, Samsung, Swarovski, Tecno, Yamaha Motors … amongst others.
Jozeph's work is recognized for its innovative use of materials and processes, as well as for his research into the "behavioral" influence of interactive technologies in everyday objects. The son of career artists, his cultural approach to design reflects his background in art and theater, with formative experience in set and lighting design in New York Off-Off-Broadway. Early involvement in high-tech and biomedical sectors helped establish his research-driven approach.
He lectures internationally and is an adjunct professor of design at Domus Academy, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti, and Raffles Milano. His designs have won many awards and have been featured in numerous publications, including "Design Now" (Taschen), "SPOON" (Phaidon), and "International Design Yearbooks" (Laurence King).
In 2004 he was the subject of the first One-Man exhibition ever organized by ADI (Italian Design Association) presented both in Rome and in New York.
His work has been in numerous museums and galleries around the world including Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and the Tokyo Gas showroom in Japan and was included in the historic exhibitions "Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design" and "Workspheres," both at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
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Portfolio
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BALLO
Client: Normann Copenhagen
Ballo is a playful take on a common household commodity - the humble toilet brush.
Meaning ‘dance’ in Italian, Ballo’s signature after-use ‘wobble’ illustrates one of Jozeph’s recurring themes of exploring physical balance and the “design of behavior”.
Beyond studio maxims of proportional perfection, meticulous experimentation of overall height as well as the weight and shape of the base was necessary so Ballo’s performance is neither too lethargic nor aggressive.
Functionality focused, Ballo was designed for optimal air circulation and smooth inner surfaces for easy cleaning. -
CLX96
Client: CL Yachts
CLX96 is the world’s first luxury SAV (Sea Activity Vessel) born from a precise concept: to elevate the comfort, convenience, and handling of a flybridge motor yacht, combined with expansive indoor and outdoor spaces and the enhanced capabilities of an expedition yacht.
With a distinct 'double-reverse-angle' profile, CLX96 merges a sense of romance, adventure, and futuristic functionality with Jozeph's dream to create "a vessel to transport you thru time and space."
CLX96 feels inherently connected to nature, with seamless transitions between indoors and outdoors, an abundance of discreet lounging zones, and a plurality of original multifunctional features. -
GOBE
Client: Healbe
Working with startup Healbe to establish the design identity for their debut products and packaging, Forakis Design sought to create an ‘anti-watch’ to appeal to those who do and don’t wear wristwatches. A micro-sized, hi-tech tour de force, GoBe and GoBe2 are the first and only consumer wearables that can measure calorie intake non-invasively.
The distinct, low-profile design, crafted with jewel-like attention to detail, features a unique ‘invisible display’ that intuitively awakens when needed. The aircraft alloy case is curved to the wearer’s wrist, seamlessly integrated with the silicon band for lasting comfort. -
HAVANA
Client: Foscarini
Foscarini, formerly known for Murano glass, took a risk in producing Havana - their first foray into plastics. It has become a signature success for the company.
Abstract yet familiar, futuristic yet timeless, Havana’s simple, segmented shape is iconic yet suits any environment. Its warm, gentle light and human scale proportions makes it work either as a standalone feature or in multiples as an architectural element in larger spaces.
Paola Antonelli included Havana in ‘Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design’ at MoMA, New York in 1995. It was later selected for the museums’ permanent collection. -
HELI-X
Client: Leonardo
The revolutionary Leonardo AW609 combines the speed, range, and altitude of a turboprop airplane with the vertical take-off and landing versatility of a helicopter.
The design for Heli-X, winner of the “Flydeas for the City” competition, emphasizes comfort, transparency, lightness, and efficiency. Advanced digital lighting technologies are seamlessly integrated to augment the feeling of space, serenity, and connectedness with the environment. Futuristic yet based on science-fact, Heli-X holistically combines forward-thinking and modern materials to create a new paradigm in personal luxury aviation. -
MOTOROLA V70
Client: Motorola
While serving as European Design Director for Motorola, Jozeph led the team for the design of the Motorola V70. Given the brief to create a worthy successor to the landmark StarTAC, the V70’s “rotator” design was equally iconic.
An early example of Jozeph’s interest in using the “design of gestures” to guide form, the distinctive round, midnight-blue display and keyhole silhouette provided first time users with semantic clues to its revolutionary swiveling action.
As one of the first ever aluminum-bodied cellphones (as well as the smallest), the cool feel of the outer shell was contrasted with the soft-touch surfaces revealed within. -
SCUBA 200 IRONY
Client: Swatch
Inspired by the noble materials of Irony (aluminum and stainless steel cases, natural rubber straps), the idea was to emphasize a 3-dimensional DNA compared to the graphic identity of the plastic watches.
The Scuba 200 shape uses an athletically reproportioned Swatch profile sculpted from a perfect sphere. This aesthetic continues to the curved bottom providing greater comfort. For the first time in watch design, the rotating bezel is seamlessly integrated into the case itself, maintaining the purity of the orb. The packaging became a futuristic, deep-sea time capsule that symbiotically honored the Irony Scuba 200. -
SPECTRE
Client: Dune
The closed-loop legs of Spectre speak of integration, continuity, and seamlessness; a recurring Forakis Design theme.
Visually slim and light, the cross-section of the aluminum legs are at 45° leaving the chair poised on thin blades. A play in perspective, the shape dynamically transforms depending on the point of view.
With efficiency in mind, the leg frames are symmetrical, allowing the same part to be used left/right. Comprising the entire structure, they are bolted directly to the upholstered seat and back, resulting in the minimum number of parts.
