DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT - AKTTEM

For Verena Hennig, design is rooted in everyday experience. She is drawn to the small but meaningful moments that shape how we live—how a chair feels, how light moves through a space, how an object quietly supports daily routines. Trained in graphic design, her practice egradually shifted toward product and spatial design, driven by a desire to transform visual ideas into physical, usable forms.

Before founding AKTTEM, Verena worked across the full design process, from early concepts to production. This hands-on experience shaped a pragmatic and considered approach, where creativity is closely tied to technical understanding. For her, design is a bridge between ideas and reality—and with that comes responsibility. Each decision should serve people, respect its context, and contribute positively to its surroundings.

Her work is guided by simplicity, functionality, and longevity. Rather than designing objects that demand attention, Verena focuses on pieces that improve everyday life in quiet ways. Over time, her practice has expanded beyond the object itself to consider its full lifecycle—materials, production methods, and circular thinking are integral to how she designs today. Sustainability is not a statement, but a natural part of creating things meant to last.

Inspiration often comes from observing people—how they move, interact, and adapt to their environments. Technology and innovation also play a role, offering new possibilities for how we live and create. This balance between human behavior and forward-thinking solutions runs through her work.

Verena lives in a former industrial laundry building, where raw architecture meets warmth through carefully chosen furniture, materials, and her own prototypes. One of the most formative places in her journey is the Academy of Fine Arts in Nuremberg, where she studied design. Surrounded by Bauhaus-era pavilions set among trees, the campus fostered a calm, focused atmosphere that continues to influence her sense of space and proportion.

In daily life, running serves as a mental reset—a place where ideas surface while the body moves instinctively. Music plays a similar role, with her cello offering a tactile counterpoint to design. If she hadn’t pursued this path, she imagines architecture might have been another way to explore structure, responsibility, and human-centered spaces.

Quick Ones

Design piece you admire
Jaguar E-Type

A film you return to
Beginners by Mike Mills

A dish you love
Potatoes with herb quark

An artist, band, or similar that brings you joy
The British band ‘Dry Cleaning’

Something completely random
Eats a bell pepper like an apple.

Follow Verena on Instagram here