Everyday I live I believe that we could be living in an entirely different world - one that is full of real contemporary inspiring objects and spaces. Design has been the cultural shaper of our world from the start. We have designed the systems, cities, products, interfaces, etc - we have designed everything and responded to the problems. Now design is not about problems, but about a rigorous beautification and the superenewal of our built environments. Design is the developing of contemporary precepts and in turn shaping the future concepts. My real desire is to see people live in the modus of our time, to participate in the contemporary world, and to release themselves form nostalgia, antiquated traditions old, rituals, and meaningless kitsch. If it is human nature to live in the past then to change human nature we must design the future.

Karim Rashid is an Industrial Designer and a cultural shaper. His projects encompass product, architecture, fashion, furniture, lighting, and art. After teaching Industrial Design for 10 years, Karim opened his NYC studio in 1993. Among his clients are Umbra, Issey Miyake, Prada, Nambe, Magis. Method, Dirt Devil and Alessi. To date, Karim has had over 2000 objects put into production and his work is in the permanent collections of 14 Museums.