Philippe Starck on Nhà Estate and Democratic Design

Philippe Starck, who rejects the label 'designer' and calls himself a 'printer' for his subconscious, discusses his first project in Vietnam: Nhà Estate in Ho Tram, a low-density residential community of 38 villas south of Ho Chi Minh City. Developed with Stéphane Delplancq, Eric and Jean-Marc Merlin, the project prioritizes preservation of the lush coastal landscape and fosters community through plazas, orchards, and beachside cafés. Starck emphasizes that his work is guided by intuition, ethics, and a mission to improve life for the greatest number, not by style or trends. He reflects on his lifelong commitment to democratic design, citing collaborations with Target, La Redoute, Alessi, Duravit, Heller, Kartell, and Riko to make quality products affordable. Starck describes his creativity as a 'mental condition' and his brain as a 'printer' producing over 200 projects annually for 50 years. He argues that contemporary design must address ecological, social, and political challenges, and that true luxury is harmony, not wealth. Looking ahead, he is interested in dematerialization and zero-gravity environments. The interview was conducted by Natalie Stoclet for Forbes.