Roman Ulich
How to become a designer?
I am not a designer ... I have no special school or similar adequate education for that. At the beginning it was a necessity, we were a tiny new company and there was no way to get our work to a professional designer, so it really left for me. During the time were our demands higher and higher and thus the demands on my work and learning in this area ... now I understand the construction and design of handles as many people do not and I constantly enjoy creating new designs, features and of course shapes and materials. So actually I became an absolute specialist designer.
Where is the right inspiration?
All around us - nature, buildings, objects of daily use... you just need to look carefully, as small children unencumbered by thoughts of many other things do. You can be inspired on a specialized trade fairs e.g. Salone del Mobile in Milan, I am sure you will take something positive with you.
Where heading the trends?
A request is to change the standard silver, respectively polished stainless steel. The most modern surfaces are also black matt, brown matt and natural brass. Shapes and designs of handles and rosettes get slightly round, an effort is to fit handle inside the door in order to visually be a part of the surface door. Wins one who makes at first sight unseen / hidden handle. We approached this challenge with our handle Maximal.
What handle is the best one for you?
From old pieces is that definitely the first option sets of handles Ludwig Wittgenstein from 1926 designed for their family villa in Vienna.
The fitting is very simple but fully functional. The author did not "afraid" to suggest different shapes on each side of the door. From the 21st
century, it is the fitting Intake, designed by Andrea Morgante in 2011 for Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena. The fitting has an excellent ergonomics
and a perfect construction with a mechanical adjustment of an accurate horizontal position of the handle.
How long does it take to manufacture handle - from a proposal to the realization?
A draft form / visual design is mostly ready in one day, but then come various technological reductions, preparations for holding in all workplaces, "limits" for galvanic plating, for the titanium coating and in the case we need to construct a new construction or mechanic we mostly need 1 - 2 years of work. E.g. the whole series of fitting Minimal / Maximal where is a complete range of products for doors and windows, we had ready design in late 2009, but due to many complicated processes during the production, we put it on the market in 2013.
What new is being prepared at M&T?
We constantly develop new products, mostly 3 - 4 years ahead before putting on the market... we start working on new designs and materials that come around
the year 2018 - 2019 on the market. As well we finalize new models for 2016 - 2017. But I do not reveal anything particular. It will be very innovative products again.
« So actually I became an absolute specialist designer »
What M&T models are the best, the most favourite ones?
As one colleague from the branch said, "a copy is an award of the highest quality of the original"... so according to this formula is the best model our handle
Entero + Entry and Trinity, which are duplicated of many manufacturers from different countries. The most favourite fitting is probably Minimal / Maximal for me
because I worked with this collection for several years.
A recommendation in the end.. what material is the best to use?
Quality one, the main thing is use a quality material. Fitting must be properly working for a long time and it needs to be made of a quality durable material. It must be suitable for all technological operations needed by manufacturing, they can not be replaced or changed. E.g. Zamak material which comes with cheaper fittings, is absolutely unsuitable due to low adhesion by galvanic plating of nickel or chromium. The surface then loses its resistance after a short time and the handle becomes unattractive and graze. We manufacture fittings from only the finest materials ie. massive brass and stainless steel.
