Fritz Frenkler

Biography

Born in 1954, Fritz Frenkler graduated with a degree in Industrial Design from the Braunschweig University of Art (HBK Braunschweig) in 1983. He worked for frogdesign Germany and became design director of frogdesign USA. In 1986, he set up and lead frogdesign Asia. Between 1992 and 1999, he was president of wiege Wilkhahn Entwicklungsgesellschaft, before becoming president of Deutsche Bahn Medien GmbH and chief designer of Deutsche Bahn AG. In 2000, Fritz Frenkler and Anette Ponholzer established f/p design deutschland gmbh, followed by the opening of f/p design japan inc. in 2003. He is regional advisor of ICSID (International Council of Societies of Industrial Design). He is a long standing member of the Board of iF Industrie Forum Design e.V. and chairman of the jury of the iF product design awards. Since 2006 he is one of the founding members of universal design e.V., a non-profit association with a keen interest in all aspects of universal design. In 2013 he became a member of the „Akademie der Künste“ in Berlin. He was nominated as an honorary professor in the department of Industrial Design at the Braunschweig University of Art (HBK Braunschweig), in 2005. Since 2006, he holds a chair as university professor of Industrial Design at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION: • Braunschweig University of Art, Germany, Degree Diplom Design, 1983 • Technische Universitaet Braunschweig, Germany, Studies in Psychology of Perception, 1980 - 83 APPOINTMENTS: • Member of “Akademie der Kuenste”, Berlin, 2013 - present • Scientific Advisor, TUMCREATE a joint research programme between Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore with funding by the National Research Foundation NRF of Singapore, 2010 - present • University Professor, Technical University of Munich, Faculty of Architecture, Chair of Industrial Design, Germany, 2006 - present • Honorary Professor, Braunschweig University of Art, Germany, 2005 - present • Founder and President, f/p design japan inc., Japan 2003 - present • Founder and President, f/p design deutschland gmbh, Munich, Germany, 2000 - present • Chief Designer and Chief Brand Manager of the Deutsche Bahn AG, 1999 - 2001 • President, Deutsche Bahn Medien GmbH, Frankfurt/M, Germany, 1999 - 2001 • Treasurer, ICSID Canada, International Council of Societies of Industrial Design, Montreal, Canada, 1999 – present • Member of IDSA, Industrial Designers Society of America, Boston, USA, 1997 - 99 • Board Member, iF Product Design Award Jury, International Forum Design, Hannover, Germany, 1995 - present • Board Member, ICSID Finland, International Council of Societies of Industrial Design, Helsinki, Finland, 1995 - 99 • President, wiege Wilkhahn Entwicklungs GmbH, Bad Muender, Germany, 1992 - 99 • President, frogdesign Asia K.K., (Japan and Taiwan ROC), Tokyo, Japan, 1986 - 91 • Design Manager, frogdesign GmbH Altensteig, Germany; frogdesign Ltd. Campbell, USA, 1983 - 85 • Member of DDV, Deutscher Designer Verband e.V., Stuttgart, Germany, 1979 - 2002 • Assistant Instructor, Industrial Design, Braunschweig University of Art, Germany, 1979 - 83

Research Interest

Entrepreneurship User Experience Universal Design Design Research Interdisciplinary Development Processes Co-Design Building Automation Electric Mobility 2007 Intuitive operation units as interface between man and building, research partners: Institute of Industrial Engineering, Prof. Ekkehard Frieling, Universität Kassel; Chair of Clima Design, Prof. Gerhard Hausladen, TUM; Siemens Building Technologies GmbH & Co. oHG 2008 Universal Design in global demographic change, research partners: universal design e.V, Robert Bosch Stiftung 2008 Future Office, research partner: Mauser Einrichtungssystemen GmbH & Co. KG 2008 Electroactive Polymeres, applications for electroactive polymeres, project with students, research partner: Bayer MaterialScience 2009 Roadster - in 365 days to a prototype car, project with students, project partner: Roding Automobile GmbH 2009 Visions for Aircraft Cabins / Innovative Aircraft Seating, project partners: Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V., Lufthansa AG, Swiss International, Recaro Aircraft Seating, müller/romca 2009 Edison Reloaded, Lights, project partner: Zweibrüder Optoelectronics GmbH 2009 automobile interior concepts 2022, project with students, project partner: BMW Group 2010 - 16 TUMCREATE – Phase 1, Interdisciplinary Development of Vehicle Concepts, project partner: Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, www.eva-taxi.sg, funded by Singapore’s National Research Foundation