Forakis, Joseph

Jozeph Forakis was born in New York City. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and Masters of Industrial Design from the Domus Academy in Milan. His work is recognized for it’s innovative use of materials and techniques, as well as for his ongoing investigation into the ‘behavioral’ influence of interactive information technologies in product design and in everyday objects.

The son of career artists, his cultural approach to design reflects his background in art and theatre with early professional experiences including set and lighting design for New York Off-Off Broadway. Other early experiences established his interest in research-driven design, with work in the US high-technology and biomedical sectors.

In 1993 he established his Milan-based strategic design activities, working with a wide range of international clients in the Home Furnishing, Personal Accessories, and Consumer Electronic sectors, including Foscarini, LG Electronics, Magis, Nemo, Philips, Swarovsky, Swatch, Tecno…

In parallel, from 1993-1997 he consulted with Domus Academy Research Center (DARC) specializing in strategic design research, interaction design and the design and development of products and services with information technologies. It here he was responsible for the award-winning program with Logitech and the design of the Cordless MouseMan Pro – the first “vertical” mouse. He is currently teacher and lecturer at the Domus Academy and the Institute of Interaction Design Ivrea.

From 1999-2002 he was European Design Director for Motorola where he was responsible for developing new design language, strategy, product designs and advanced concept programs, and lead the team responsible for the design of the landmark V70 mobile phone.

His designs have won several awards and have been featured in numerous publications, including the book “SPOON” (Phaidon Press) and “50 Lights” (Mel Byars).

In 2003 ADI (Italian Design Association) presented a one-man exhibition of his work in Rome, the first-time in ADI’s 50-year history to organize a show dedicated to a single designer. This show was also presented at Felissimo Design House in New York to coincide with the 2004 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF).

His work has been displayed in many galleries and museums around the world, including the historic exhibitions “Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design” and “Workspheres”, both at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, where it now forms part of the permanent collection.