ABOUT

Born in Münster in 1986, Manuel André Dornhege grew up in a personal environment strongly shaped by art and architecture. This interdisciplinary background motivated him to study architecture at the Peter Behrens School of Architecture in Düsseldorf and later complete a Master’s degree at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna (2015). Alongside architecture, he studied abstract painting in the master classes of Prof. Erwin Bohatsch and Prof. Daniel Richter. Since 2016, he has directed studio mad, where artistic experimentation and artisanal precision subtly merge.
 

In addition to his sculptural objects and installations, Manuel brings extensive experience in interior design. He independently realizes projects and collaborates with architects and brands. In his work, spaces are not only designed but orchestrated in their impact through the presence of his artistic works – narratively, functionally, and atmospherically.

The series GEOMETRIC DIMENSIONS reflects his fascination with geometric clarity, the tension between material, form, and surface, and the deliberate play of light and shadow. Precise sketches, digital graphics, and physical models define the structure and dynamics of the objects before they are realized in lightweight concrete, wood, and treated metal. Each step – from modeling and assembling to the finishing touches – is carefully considered yet remains open to spontaneous gestures, allowing material, form, and function to merge in an individual balance.

Manuel draws inspiration from architectural history: the rigor of the Bauhaus, the monumentality of ancient temples, the reduction of Brutalism – and the playful freedom of the Memphis Movement. Every working process carries the intent to open up space, guide moods, and subtly touch the senses – a union of form, material, and light that can be experienced both rationally and poetically.

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