FEATURED STORY
Creating Connections

Florian Hauswirth is an experienced and versatile product designer: he has been teaching object design at the Department of Art and Design at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts since 2017, runs his own studio has been working with the architect Katia Ritz, more recently as "Ritzwirth", for a long time. As a trained model maker and developer in material research, he has extensive expertise. His portfolio includes a wide variety of products – with wood playing a recurring role: "Contrary to the wishful thinking that plastic can be moulded infinitely, it is a complicated material. It is harmful to health during production and does not age well. During recycling, it has to be infused with contaminating glass fibres. Wood, on the other hand, is great to work with, grows back, ages beautifully and can even be refurbished. At the same time, it's great to use."

Zeitraum became aware of Hauswirth during an exhibition in the Engadin, where he presented a handcrafted edition. As traditional craftsmanship also is main part of the German manufacturer’s identity, they began their collaboration in 2018 and developed the idea for the "Alpenraum" collection during a joint visit to the Rhaeto-Romanic village of Vnà in the Swiss canton of Graubünden."Vna" is also the name of the furniture in the collection: the dining group includes the "Vna Stool" stool, the "Vna Bar" bar stool and "Vna Dine", a table in various sizes. The starting point and centrepiece of the designs is the "Vna Chair", a so-called Stabelle and the typical chair of the Alpine region. The main characteristic of the "Stabelle" is that the backrest and legs are plugged into the seat.

"The "Vna Chair" has a strong seat recess, and the straight backrest is attached at a pronounced angle, which makes it very comfortable. I did a lot of trial and error until I got it right. To be honest, after working at Vitra, you feel a bit inhibited about designing a chair," says the designer. Serial production was successful thanks to his profound knowledge of materials and an understanding of form, making it possible to achieve industrially what was once done by hand.

The "human factor" is reflected in the pleasant feel, the inviting design language, and the visual link to one's own tradition: "Furniture characterises our living environment; if you try to tell history, you also create the possibility of a relationship with the object, which would otherwise remain a decorative element. I think that the material and the design can create a bond, which makes them important beyond their simple function – and not a pointless waste of resources," says Hauswirth. The collection is made of solid ash, due to the stable and flexible properties of the wood, and is available in the colours natural, stained graphite black and stained smoky blue. From a single table and chair to a seating group, it can be used in a variety of ways: "In a traditional setting, it offers a small update without appearing too alien. In a new environment, it provides a counter-movement and brings in history." The black version emphasises the contours and is particularly suitable in rooms with lots of wood, while the icy blue is reminiscent of glaciers, says the designer.

With the "Alpenraum" collection for Zeitraum, Florian Hauswirth links yesterday and today. This he has not found yet in a Stabelle. "The Alps are very formative for the people living in this region. Designing something that shows our history, nature, origins and culture makes sense to me. I want to keep them alive and not cut them off. The same goes for craftsmanship: I want to design objects that you can look at closely if you want to. It's a different kind of interaction and it preserves knowledge."

Zeitraum invites you to the Design Post for imm 2024 in Cologne:

Zeitraum × Design Post
Deutz-Mülheimer Str. 22 a
50679 Cologne

14 to 18 January 2024:
Sunday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., opening from 5 p.m.
Monday to Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Daily Get Together from 4 p.m.

Themed lecture on the "Alpenraum" collection with designer Florian Hauswirth, CH-Biel on Monday, 15 January at 6 p.m.