Chris Granneberg
Industrial Designer
Long Beach, California
Industrial Designer
Long Beach, California
Behind the Scenes
Q & A
What inspired the light you designed on Gantri?
I wanted to develop something neutral that could fit in multiple interiors, from midcentury to modern. I was inspired by Achille Castiglioni and George Nelson’s lamps, and wanted to apply some of those ideas to a zeppelin form. I hope it has a warmth and neutrality that’s a calming presence in any kind of room.
You’ve had previous experience with 3D printing, right?
I’ve been working with 3D printing since the early 2000's at Pratt Institute. When I started working for Karim Rashid, I was responsible for our 3D printers and prototypes. At PepsiCo, I developed 3D printed molds with our vendors for blow-molding bottles. When I started my own studio, I began making 3D printed objetcs with porcelain and steel.
When did you first know you wanted to be a designer?
My earliest design memory was walking by a Jeep dealership as a kid. I was so mesmerized by this 1984 Jeep Cherokee. I was like, “Who made this? How did people make this thing with so many parts and pieces?” I eventually studied transportation design, and almost went to graduate school to design cars.
What are some of your hobbies?
I’m an avid comic book reader. Comics are actually very inspiring for design. When I flip through a comic book, I’m so captivated by the worlds the artists and writers create.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
There’s a comic book called Invincible where one of the characters "Atom Eve" is able rearrange atoms and create whatever she wants from them. She can basically take anything inorganic and rearrange the atoms into whatever she needs. I would love to be able to create things like that.
What would you make?
Affordable housing
Consumers don’t need to be design-savvy to enjoy a good product. Even if I’m designing a mug that someone buys for a few bucks, I hope something about the way it feels in their hand will be memorable.