Design Switzerland: Between Creativity, Functionality and Beauty
Jewellery, clock and watch, Art Basel, these keywords associated with Swiss design have overwhelming PR impacts on a global scale. People unfamiliar with the current scene of Swiss design might instinctively assume that it relies on fine craftsmanship and aims at the high-end market, hence distances itself from the trend of times. This is far from the real picture.
For the second year, Pro Helvetia Shanghai, Swiss Arts Council is introducing three Swiss design studios to the Shenzhen Creative Week, one of the most successful commercial fairs in China’s furniture and interior design industry. The Design Switzerland booth presents the works of Swiss local brand schoenstaub as well as of Swiss designer/ group Dimitri Bähler, Egli Studio and Matthieu Girel. These studios have claimed prestigious awards such as the Swiss Design Award and Design Preis Schweiz, and were selected by Pro Helvetia to exhibit in 2018 at Milano Fuorisaloneor at London designjunction. Works created by this young generation of designers at their 30s present a lively picture of Swiss contemporary design. By introducing to Chinese manufacturers, investors, and brand managers during side events, these Swiss designers embrace a unique opportunity to discover China’s creative industry and gain visibility.
Studios
Egli Studio & Matthieu Girel
Egli Studio & Matthieu Girel will present “Hypercollection”, a furniture ensemble with clear and simple lines, consisting of a shelf system, lamp, low table, sofa and a wardrobe. Delimiting but not closing, the collection offers a flexible solution to the needs of open spaces.
schoenstaub
schoenstaub showcases three woven carpets and printed towel collections highlighted by “Terrazzo”, which has won the Wallpaper Design Awards 2017. schoenstaub’s designs seek to break up the boundaries between “inside” and “outside”, building a bond between functionality and aesthetics.
Dimitri Bähler
Dimitri Bähler will bring “Bimu Light” and “Cho Light”, as well as “VPTC ceramics series”, which has won the Grand Prize of the Interieur design award competition. Dimitri focuses on material experimentation and exploring different types of production processes. His collection creates a dialogue between usefulness and non-functionality, minimalism and aesthetics.
These selected works manifest both a solid inheritance from traditional industrial design, and an exploration that seeks dialogue with the time we live in. Their design expertise is revealed not only in the perception of propriety and the precise coordination of left and right brains — which requires the ability to simplify without losing the taste of poetry and delight, and to pursue a kind of creative and aesthetic design with technical core, full of experimental features and commercial potentials, but also is demonstrated in the obsessive focus on user experience. Such design takes root in a remarkably mature design concept, as reflected in the concerns beyond layout and production processes. These young talents who represent the new forces of Swiss contemporary design carry with them the lofty ideals to contribute to society. They value highly the reciprocal interaction with the clients, and feel responsible for boosting the industry, as well as promoting the image transformation of Switzerland. The vitality of Swiss design stands out in its full glory.
Contact
Miao Jiang
Communications/ Projects
mjiang@prohelvetia.cn
Pro Helvetia Shanghai, Swiss Arts Council
Rm. 2210, Building A
Far East Intl. Plaza, 319 Xianxia Road
Shanghai 200051, China
