‘House of Switzerland’ explores the Swiss perspective on joyful design

The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and Presence Switzerland collaborate to showcase emerging Swiss designers in a collective exhibition as part of the Brera Design District at Milan Design Week 2024, titled House of Switzerland, aiming to increase visibility for visionary creatives. Through immersive exhibitions, designers examine their emotional connection to the design process and reflect on the joy found in topics like circularity, wellness and nature. Beyond mere functionality, a design that subtly embraces elements of 'joy' uplifts the human spirit, bringing pleasure, excitement, and a sense of delight to everyday experiences. The display promotes the importance of 'joy' and highlights its importance in today's environment. It gives an overview of Switzerland's dynamic modern creative industry and emphasises the value of teamwork and design as a catalyst for good change.

All exhibitors were nominated by an independent jury comprising renowned specialists such as Johanna Agerman Ross from London, United Kingdom, who serves as the chief curator at the Design Museum and is the Founder and Director of Disegno. Alessio Ascari from Milan, Italy, is the founder and creative director of Kaleidoscope magazine and Capsule and serves as Spazio Maiocchi's curator. Wataru Kumano from Miyota, Japan, is the founder and designer of the design office Kumano. The projects and design concepts that are a part of the House of Switzerland highlight important aspects of functional aesthetics and advance the creation of a more sustainable and resilient global community. The goal of a three-year cooperative project between Presence Switzerland and the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia is to present the future and vibrancy of Swiss design to a worldwide audience. The physical manifestation of this endeavour is the House of Switzerland, which is housed in Milan's renowned Casa degli Artisti in Brera and has a different theme every year. The House, which is three stories tall and has interior and outdoor installations, is inspired by the nation's design legacy but approaches challenges in a modern way with an eye towards the future.

To elicit 'pure joy' and promote escapism while reminding viewers that joy may be found in unexpected places, this immersive experience leads visitors through interactive zones. Joy is an active feeling that permeates the room and encourages both individual and group engagement. Visitors are captivated by the designers' many interpretations of joy, ranging from lighthearted to provocative ideas. The experience welcomes a new perspective and challenges the rigid view of Swiss design by embracing playfulness. It promotes reestablishing communication with oneself and others using the common language of happiness.

Ground Floor

ECAL / University of Art and Design Lausanne collaborates with FREITAG to present Access Over Ownership, aligning with FREITAG's manifesto advocating for access to products rather than ownership. Focusing on travel bags, the project involves ECAL Bachelor Industrial Design students, guided by Switzerland-based product designer Christophe Guberan, to create practical yet enjoyable cases promoting sharing and community values. Addressing consumption habits, it emphasises solutions for a virtuous circular economy and reflects on joy's circular nature. Design studio Sula collaborates with Micasa to present SOLE, an immersive installation transporting viewers to lakeside summers. Based in Zurich, Sula, in partnership with Swiss homeware and furniture retailer Micasa, captures the beauty of the colours of the sky reflecting on water surfaces, evoking a magical sense of wanderlust, optimism and positivity. This collaboration results in a textile and tableware collection radiating happiness, inviting viewers into a joyful world celebrating the natural beauty of such locations.

Karimoku New Standard, a specialist in contemporary wooden furniture from Japan, has refurbished the House of Switzerland's restaurant Degustazione using a collection of furniture designed by the Swiss studio BIG-GAME. The exhibited Castor series, crafted from sustainably sourced Japanese hardwoods, features a design aesthetic inspired by the ergonomics of traditional Swiss café-style furniture. This cross-cultural partnership seamlessly blends the unique perspectives of Karimoku's craftspeople with an international group of designers, setting new standards in Japanese furniture design. HAY / New Works, Vero, and Hannes & Fritz collaborate to present The Joy of Being Outside, featuring three outdoor furniture design collections. The Swiss-German studio aims to offer visitors a moment of conviviality and joy as they gather outdoors. Drawing inspiration from their enjoyment of working outside, the designers seek to imbue the pieces with this happiness.

First Floor

4321-Market presents the Swiss-Korean Souvenir Market, launched by ECAL alumni in Seoul in 2020, 4321-Market is an annual market that opens during the holiday season, showcasing new product designs by emerging designers. HFTG Zug — The School of Technology and Design presents Taking Joy in Responsible Design. Collaborating with its students, HFTG is exploring innovative methods of cooling public spaces. The endeavour involves configuring an urban cooling system capable of capturing wind, providing shade, or dispersing water. Leveraging new technology, the project aims to create comfortable spaces for visitors to enjoy under intense sunlight, enhancing their city experience. Geneva-based contemporary design gallery NOV presents Out of the Woodworks, an open call challenging designers and makers to reevaluate the value and role of timber in today's material world, aiming to restore the balance between people and the planet. Emphasising wood as a sustainable material when sourced from responsibly managed forests, the project encourages participants to repurpose existing wooden objects.

Design studio CLAIRE+LÉA presents Anima IV, in partnership with Workshop 4.0 from Valais, exploring a robotic arm's visual and emotional potential. The studio connects this functional and industrial tool to the realms of art and design, aiming to evoke various emotional reactions from viewers, including surprise, amusement, apprehension and joy. Fine Arts graduate from ECAL Estelle Bourdet presents La Cordée, a project that transforms discarded climbing ropes into handwoven rugs, symbolising joy through repurposing and revitalising materials with textile design. These rug designs are both functional and decorative, infusing interior spaces with vibrancy while narrating tales of resilience and adventure, evoking memories of past climbing experiences. Luc Reinacher presents OruBench, a grid-like seat composed of three individual stools that seamlessly integrate to form a bench. These stools remain hidden until they are removed, expanding the seating capacity to accommodate up to six people. With its unexpected functionality, the OruBench offers a playful perspective on addressing the challenges of everyday life.

Sustainable fashion brand NEUNOI presents NEUNOI Sneakers, designed with a circular mindset to ensure sustainability. These sneakers are easily repairable and repurposable, allowing them to be passed on to the next child once outgrown. Featuring replaceable soles made from biodegradable KUORI materials, the shoes can undergo multiple repairs and continue to serve. Swiss design studio SALIENTI presents Seilinee, an edition of glass vases born from a playful exploration with innovative outcomes. Collaborating with Murano-based artisanal experts and glass blowers, the intricate process required breaking free from tradition, as the shapes were conceived through unique, modular wooden moulds. ScheideggerPauli presents the Vidy Chair, an outdoor seating solution tailored for the terrace of Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne. Comprising a canvas seat and tubular galvanised steel frame, the Vidy Chair offers a comfortable spot to admire the stunning vista of Lake Léman and the Alps from the terrace. Drawing inspiration from Swiss garden furniture and the theatre's architectural elements, the chair design encourages playful interaction with bespoke castor rolls and adaptable configurations.

Tabea Wschiansky presents Para aiming to address the oversight of people with disabilities in the development of sports and outdoor clothing by major brands. Para is a rain cover designed for people in wheelchairs, enabling them to enjoy the outdoors with style and comfort. Varia Instruments presents RDM40, aiming to contribute to the extension of joyful moments on the dancefloor, a key element driving dance culture for decades. The brand creates mixing consoles of superior quality, aiming to transfer the joy from the DJ directly to the club-goers while ensuring exceptional sound quality.

Second Floor

The Basel Academy of Art and Design FHNW presents The Factory of Joy, an exploration led by the Institute of Contemporary Design Practices (ICDP). This initiative delves into the belief that joy is not only essential to design practice but also a fundamental element of creativity. Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts, MUDAC, situated at PLATEFORME 10, presents Back to the Source. This project, initiated by MUDAC in Lausanne, delves into Switzerland's natural springs and their remarkable attributes. Led by Colombian designer Felipe Ribon, the project explores the narratives, rituals and customs associated with these miraculous spring waters, including themes of redemption, healing, purification, leisure and fertility.

Lighting designer Dimitri Bähler presents Factor Light / DB20. The (https://www.stirpad.com/tags/lighting-design/) lighting design, designed for HAY, features a rotatable core that offers 360 degrees of infinite movement, allowing users to personalise their environment according to their needs. Hannes & Fritz presents Weekday / May / Hongkong a collection of three product designs, each representing one of three outdoor furniture collections, emphasising the joy of being outside. Swiss industrial designer Sébastien El Idrissi presents Stack, a project aimed at bringing the joy of nature into urban environments. The concept revolves around stackable pots and frames that form a versatile system, encouraging users to cultivate various plants in urban areas and gardens. Super150 presents Berninox a brand committed to sustainable design and aiming to revolutionise the oral hygiene sector with its future-focused design and meticulous attention to detail. The Berninox toothbrush, crafted without compromising quality, features a stainless-steel handle and an ocean plastic replaceable head with recycled bristles.

The design event emphasises the transforming power of joyful experiences in design by highlighting themes like circular design, wellness and nature and by delving into emotional connections to the design process. The projects on display at the House of Switzerland, which place a strong focus on sustainability, innovation and inclusivity, demonstrate the vitality and inventiveness of Swiss design while providing answers for a more resilient and sustainable future for design. Visitors are encouraged to investigate the different means by which design expresses joy through immersive experiences and interactive zones, which promote conversation and involvement regarding the role that design serves in creating a better future.

Stay tuned with STIR's coverage of Milan Design Week 2024 which showcases the best of exhibitions, studios, designers, installations, brands and events to look out for. Explore EuroCucina and all the design districts—Fuorisalone, 5vie Design Week, Isola Design Week, Brera Design District and Porta Venezia Design District.