“Swiss Design is More About Method Than Aesthetics” say House of Switzerland Curators

We're living in a time when collaboration has become more of a marketing buzzword than a genuine concept. Big brands do it when they "activate" with grassroots organizations, and competitors do it when they "unite" for limited-edition drops. With every other event or product launch being pitched as a "collab," it’s no wonder there’s genuine fatigue at the very mention of the C-word. Interesting, then, that collaboration is the central theme of an exhibition exploring Switzerland’s design scene. "Collaboration is part of the Swiss DNA," says Marie Mayoly, the co-curator of the exhibition alongside Alexandre Edelmann. "We are a small country, so we've always had to work with others," Edelmann adds. "Here, if you want to expand, you have to go abroad, so we have that culture of working with other people."House of Switzerland Milano 2024Mayoly and Edelmann work for two different Swiss organizations, but each April, they come together to curate the annual House of Switzerland Milano show, which takes place in the city’s Brera district. It’s a prime location, particularly during design week, and offers a solid opportunity for them to showcase their country’s design credentials. “With products and furniture, you could look at something and tell ‘this is Italian design’, or ‘this is Scandinavian design,’” Edelmann says. “With Switzerland, you cannot tell aesthetically. It’s more method than aesthetics. It's designed to function, and how it looks depends on the function.”But how, then, do you develop a reputation in an image-driven world when the signature isn’t instantly recognizable? It’s this very predicament that first pushed the pair to exhibit during Milan Design Week, which receives hundreds of thousands of international visitors each year. Now in its third year, the show brings emerging designers, schools, institutions, and brands together under one roof. Each will work towards a set theme – the first year explored “Urgent Legacy”, and the second year, simply “Joy.” The curation process is rigorous: designers need to have established their studios no more than seven years ago to be considered "emerging," and their proposed projects need to clearly reflect the theme. The latter goes for the brands, institutions and schools too, who this year include ECAL, Swisswool, MUDAC, and HEAD – Geneve. With this year’s focus on collaboration, it seems as though there’s going to be an exciting array of responses. "Emerging Swiss designers are much more aware about what they produce, or even what they're not producing."On the ground floor, an installation by the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation will highlight the need for inclusivity through design in an installation titled “Rings of Collaboration.” Next to this will be the showcase of emerging talents, which will present everything from biomaterial experimentation to design that explores societal topics. “The emerging talents are the heart of the project,” says Mayoly. “We wanted to make sure to show the next generation of Swiss designers.” And how would Mayoly define this new guard? “They’re not interested in creating something ‘punchy’ for ‘punchy’s’ sake,” she says. “They're much more aware about what they produce, or even what they're not producing,” Edelmann adds. Alix Arto, Emma Casella and Yihan ZhangAntonio Severi and Exil CollectiveDversa StudioMari Koppanen and Estelle BourdetRio Kobayashi and Flavia BrändleJustus HilfenhausLivia LauberSalomon EslerLena BernasconiRaphael KadidOf course, it’d be remiss to have a conversation about Swiss design legacy and not shout out the likes of USM or Vitra, both of which, of course, have a distinct form-follows-function approach. But in the case of the House of Switzerland, it made less sense for them to exhibit. “They have their own space, and they’re not emerging, but of course they visit, and they get in touch with designers – many of whom they’ve inspired.” One of those designers, in particular, is Livia Lauber, who recently took part in a group show in London that required designers to work with USM parts to create something new. Like her emerging counterparts, she will be on the ground floor, flanked by Alix Arto, Emma Casella and Yihan Zhang; Antonio Severi and Exil Collective; Dversa Studio; Mari Koppanen and Estelle Bourdet; Rio Kobayashi and Flavia Brändle; Justus Hilfenhaus; Raphael Kadid; Lena Bernasconi; Salomon Elsler; and Yael Anders and Tymen Goetsch. The first and second floors will be occupied by the schools and institutions respectively, with projects ranging from a show that takes inspiration from the circus to a large-scale installation at the intersection of spatial design and queer history. At a time when there is much discussion about the overrunning of Milan Design Week by presentations from non-traditional design disciplines (read: big tech companies and luxury conglomerates), a show that puts collaboration for social good at its core feels poignant. However, Edelmann adds that being a part of it is bec

Mar 27, 2025 - 19:32

“Swiss Design is More About Method Than Aesthetics” say House of Switzerland Curators

We're living in a time when collaboration has become more of a marketing buzzword than a genuine concept. Big brands do it when they "activate" with grassroots organizations, and competitors do it when they "unite" for limited-edition drops. With every other event or product launch being pitched as a "collab," it’s no wonder there’s genuine fatigue at the very mention of the C-word.

Interesting, then, that collaboration is the central theme of an exhibition exploring Switzerland’s design scene.

"Collaboration is part of the Swiss DNA," says Marie Mayoly, the co-curator of the exhibition alongside Alexandre Edelmann.

"We are a small country, so we've always had to work with others," Edelmann adds. "Here, if you want to expand, you have to go abroad, so we have that culture of working with other people."

“Swiss Design is More About Method Than Aesthetics”, say House of Switzerland Curators House of Switzerland Milano 2024

Mayoly and Edelmann work for two different Swiss organizations, but each April, they come together to curate the annual House of Switzerland Milano show, which takes place in the city’s Brera district. It’s a prime location, particularly during design week, and offers a solid opportunity for them to showcase their country’s design credentials.

“With products and furniture, you could look at something and tell ‘this is Italian design’, or ‘this is Scandinavian design,’” Edelmann says. “With Switzerland, you cannot tell aesthetically. It’s more method than aesthetics. It's designed to function, and how it looks depends on the function.”

But how, then, do you develop a reputation in an image-driven world when the signature isn’t instantly recognizable?

It’s this very predicament that first pushed the pair to exhibit during Milan Design Week, which receives hundreds of thousands of international visitors each year.

Now in its third year, the show brings emerging designers, schools, institutions, and brands together under one roof. Each will work towards a set theme – the first year explored “Urgent Legacy”, and the second year, simply “Joy.”

The curation process is rigorous: designers need to have established their studios no more than seven years ago to be considered "emerging," and their proposed projects need to clearly reflect the theme. The latter goes for the brands, institutions and schools too, who this year include ECAL, Swisswool, MUDAC, and HEAD – Geneve.

With this year’s focus on collaboration, it seems as though there’s going to be an exciting array of responses.

"Emerging Swiss designers are much more aware about what they produce, or even what they're not producing."

On the ground floor, an installation by the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation will highlight the need for inclusivity through design in an installation titled “Rings of Collaboration.” Next to this will be the showcase of emerging talents, which will present everything from biomaterial experimentation to design that explores societal topics.

“The emerging talents are the heart of the project,” says Mayoly. “We wanted to make sure to show the next generation of Swiss designers.”

And how would Mayoly define this new guard? “They’re not interested in creating something ‘punchy’ for ‘punchy’s’ sake,” she says.

“They're much more aware about what they produce, or even what they're not producing,” Edelmann adds.

“Swiss Design is More About Method Than Aesthetics”, say House of Switzerland Curators Alix Arto, Emma Casella and Yihan Zhang
Antonio Severi and Exil Collective
Dversa Studio
Mari Koppanen and Estelle Bourdet
Rio Kobayashi and Flavia Brändle
Justus Hilfenhaus
Livia Lauber
Salomon Esler
Lena Bernasconi
“Swiss Design is More About Method Than Aesthetics”, say House of Switzerland Curators Raphael Kadid

Of course, it’d be remiss to have a conversation about Swiss design legacy and not shout out the likes of USM or Vitra, both of which, of course, have a distinct form-follows-function approach. But in the case of the House of Switzerland, it made less sense for them to exhibit. “They have their own space, and they’re not emerging, but of course they visit, and they get in touch with designers – many of whom they’ve inspired.”

One of those designers, in particular, is Livia Lauber, who recently took part in a group show in London that required designers to work with USM parts to create something new. Like her emerging counterparts, she will be on the ground floor, flanked by Alix Arto, Emma Casella and Yihan Zhang; Antonio Severi and Exil Collective; Dversa Studio; Mari Koppanen and Estelle Bourdet; Rio Kobayashi and Flavia Brändle; Justus Hilfenhaus; Raphael Kadid; Lena Bernasconi; Salomon Elsler; and Yael Anders and Tymen Goetsch.

The first and second floors will be occupied by the schools and institutions respectively, with projects ranging from a show that takes inspiration from the circus to a large-scale installation at the intersection of spatial design and queer history.

At a time when there is much discussion about the overrunning of Milan Design Week by presentations from non-traditional design disciplines (read: big tech companies and luxury conglomerates), a show that puts collaboration for social good at its core feels poignant.

However, Edelmann adds that being a part of it is becoming increasingly difficult.

“You can’t be blind about the downsides of it,” he says, referencing rising costs for not only the exhibition spaces but for accommodation throughout the duration of the festival. “But we still need critical platforms that bring different styles together, so that is why we are still here,” Mayoly adds.

House of Switzerland is open from April 7 to 13, with Hypeform (Hypebeast's design vertical) co-hosting the opening party on Monday 7 April.

Casa Degli Artisti
Via Tommaso da Cazzaniga
Corso Garibaldi, 89/A
20121 Milano

Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast