Formerly co-founders of Outofstock, Gustavo Maggio and Sebastian Alberdi now run independent design studios, one
in Singapore and one in Barcelona.
Spanish-Argentinian Sebastian moved to Barcelona in 2002 from his hometown
of Buenos Aires, and works as a professor in product design at IED Barcelona, together with his studio work where he mixes product design with artistic and ephemeral projects. Gustavo Maggio also has his roots in Argentina, but with an Italian family background. After working in Barcelona, he co-founded Forest & Whale with his partner Wendy Chua, and is now sharing his time as both designer and lecturer between Singapore, Europe and Buenos Aires.
Miss Åhus sports a distinctive female aesthetic that begs the question: is there a lack of women in the design industry? “Female designers have certainly long been neglected. In Barcelona we have the famous pavilion by Mies van der Rohe, but it took a lot of time before his collaborator Lilly Reich was acknowledged for her contribution and her long and varied design career.” Sebastian Alberdi
What is your latest design quest?
“With Elsa Yranzo, I’ve curated the In The Bauhaus Kitchen experience; a multidisciplinary work including a lot of creatives like chefs, architects, craftsmen and so on. We’ve collaborated with Nicholas Fox Weber of the Josef & Anni Albers Foundation, and I hope our documentary about the project brings back the spirit of Bauhaus.” Sebastian Alberdi
Which book do you have on your bedside table?
“I just finished reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. It’s a fantastic tool for anyone to re-wire their thoughts and build better working practices.” Gustavo Maggio
What do you listen to while working, and what design challenge are you pining for?
“I’ve been listening to Smash Mouth’s hits to pump up the energy in the office. A dream project would be to design the interior of a self-driving vehicle by using my furniture and interior design experience as well as my passion for anything on wheels.” Gustavo Maggio
