EP28 | The Ultimate Precision of German Design — Boris Kochan, President of the German Design Council and ALEA Board Member, Joins The Great Artist

With a world-class perspective, examining German design standards, Asian designers' strategies for entering Europe, and the definition of talent for the coming decade

[Taipei] On the DE Global Art Agency podcast The Great Artist (EP28), we are especially honored to welcome Boris Kochan — board member of the French art association ALEA, President of the German Design Council (President, Deutscher Designtag), and President of GRANSHAN — who, with a world-class perspective, offers an in-depth examination of the contemporary questions of design.

Born in 1962, Boris Kochan is a figure of pivotal importance in German design. A designer, entrepreneur, host, curator, and critic, he became in 2016 the founding President of "Deutscher Designtag," the umbrella organization of German design bodies; before that, he served for seven consecutive years as President of the Munich typographic society (tgm). Kochan & Partner, which he co-founded and leads, is one of Germany's largest independent brand and design firms, with offices in Munich and Berlin. Such a substantial record gives him a first-hand, profound insight into the pulse of global design.

This episode focuses on three major themes. The first is the "German standard" — what is the ultimate precision that German design pursues? Boris Kochan speaks of this from direct experience. He holds that the essence of German design lies in an almost exacting attitude toward detail, function, and systematic thinking; this rigor is precisely what allows German design to enjoy its renown across the globe.

The second is "cross-border strategy" — when Asian designers enter the European market, what are the key advantages and the common pitfalls? Drawing on his rich international experience, Boris Kochan notes that Asian designers often possess a singular cultural depth and aesthetic advantage, yet upon entering the European market they may easily fall into certain blind spots through unfamiliarity with local culture, market rules, and modes of communication. Understanding both is precisely the premise of a successful cross-border strategy.

The third is "future trends" — what will be the direction of global design over the coming decade? In an age of the rapid rise of AI, how, too, will the word "talent" be redefined? With a forward-looking perspective, Boris Kochan sketches for designers a picture of the future. Through this conversation, DE Global Art Agency hopes to connect Europe's design excellence with Asia's emerging potential, offering designers the most practical guide to an international career.

As a core member of the Asia-Europe academic alliance, DE Global Art Agency works in deep cooperation with ALEA, taking academic legitimacy as its foundation to help Asian designers obtain an internationally recognized professional standing and build an international career visible to the European market. Boris Kochan's world-class perspective offers the most weighty guidance for this vision.

The Great Artist EP28 is now available on Apple Podcasts, SoundOn, and other platforms, with a running time of about 41 minutes. We invite you to listen to Boris Kochan's in-depth examination of German design and the international career.