Playlist: Architect & Designer Max Gunawan

Max Gunawan is an architect and industrial designer with an inspired light above his head. After leaving the corporate work world, he grabbed that light and created Lumio – a multi-purpose, portable lamp that looks like a book. After a wildly successful run on Kickstarter, Max is off to manufacture his first production run. But first, we asked Max to shed some light on his musical inspirations in this week’s Playlist. Take a look and listen.

What do you listen to while you work?
NPR or Joao Gilberto. Never get bored of his music no matter how much I listen to it.

How do you listen?
I stream music from my laptop to wireless speakers in my home/office.

Do you have any favorite music websites/providers?
iTunes is my go-to source to purchase music.

Does music influence your work?
Absolutely, it can very inspiring! I stumbled upon this phenom violinist named Amadeus Leopold (formerly Hahn Binh) one day and I was so blown away by his talent. I was feeling lazy that day, but it ended up to be a productive day creatively just by listening (and watching) him play.

Where do you find music recommendations? Who influences your musical taste?
I love old classics like Gilberto and Ella so I tend to stick with what I have and cycle through them. Once in a while I will search for contemporary artists that I like (like Pink Martini, Diana Krall and Madeleine Peyroux) and see if they’ve come up with a new album. It’s not a person, but a place… Paris. I fell in love listening to Ella when I was studying there. (Am I sounding like a cliche?)

What song or artist best represents the work you create?
Hands down Pink Martini (for their sheer eclecticism and style) and Amadeus Leopold (for making me want to take the risk and be bold in what I do).

Ideal place to sit and listen to your playlist:
The Eames Molded Plywood Lounge Chair in Red Aniline Stained Birch Veneer. It’s bold yet subtle, refined, and comfortable to sit in. Just the way I like my music.

Max’s Playlist:
1. Summer Wind, Madeleine Peyroux
2. A Correnteza, Lisa Ono
3. Just in Time, Nina Simone
4. Desafinado, Joao Gilberto
5. The Stars of Track and Field, Belle & Sebastian
6. Amado Mio, Pink Martini
7. Lullaby of Birdland, Sarah Vaughn
8. Falling Slowly, Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
9. Body and Soul, Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
10. Maybe You’ll Be There, Diana Krall

Photos: Max Gunawan

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