Even some of his own colleagues think he’s a little crazy. His irrepressible curiosity, his restless quest for explanations, and his delight at upending everything can occasionally make him an uncomfortable companion. When he appears at the office after returning from a long trip, he recounts things that sound more like a virtual utopia than a reality that has been experienced. He visits over one hundred companies in a single year; the world is his workplace, the future his area of research. David Streiff Corti spoke to Raphael Gielgen, head of research & trendscouting at Vitra.