Alfredo Häberli Design Development

For the latest edition of Transhelvetica focused on «Argentina», I was privileged to design the accompanying graphics for a poster, postcard, and wine label. These pieces are characterized by a hand-drawn, continuous line that deeply resonates with my childhood memories and my experiences growing up in Argentina. This line represents not just artistic expression but also the profound cultural and personal influences that have shaped me.

This enduring line was inspired by lessons from my grandfather and my uncle, an architect, who introduced me to the art of free and precise line drawing at an early age. These experiences ingrained in me a deep appreciation for the fusion of precision and creativity, which is evident in the design elements I chose for this project.

The artwork titled «Las líneas de mi mano» is a tribute to the rich cultural tapestry of Argentina, interweaving elements from the emotional depth of Tango to the culinary traditions of Asado. It invites viewers on a visual journey through Argentina, encouraging them to explore the layers and meanings embedded in each line.

This design endeavor for Transhelvetica is more than a commission; it is a celebration of my heritage and a testament to the enduring influence of Argentine culture on my work as a designer. Through «Las líneas de mi mano», I aim to convey the intricate blend of history and modernity that characterizes Argentine art and life, making it a journey of discovery for every viewer.

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In the year 2021, I had the opportunity to design the entire 25 Hours Hotel Zurich West, narrating a multidimensional story of my hometown. This resulted in «The Smile of my Hometown», a city guide featuring a variety of objects and art. In this additional project, the existing concept is being expanded to include the theme of sports. Naturally, Zurich, like probably every city in the world, has a connection to sports with the Leichtathletik-Meeting, Limmatschwimmen, Ironman, etc. However, this design concept is about much more; it's about the world of sports and the fascination behind it.

The idea behind the interior design of the lobby is to evoke a variety of emotions with minimal intervention into the existing space. The design retains the industrial charm of the raw space, highlighted by shades of grey, black, and metallic. Natural wood and leather add warmth and coziness to the room. Visitors should feel welcomed and comfortable. The aesthetics of sports are employed subtly and are not obvious or clumsy; nor are they mere props from thrift stores meant for collection. Instead, the aim, as it was ten years ago, is to use the theme as a starting point and to design with humor, elegance, and intelligence. I want to discover and create new things. The twist is crucial, as is the wink. The goal was to use the same high-quality materials to complement and extend the existing construction.

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Häberli’s work embodies a harmonious blend of playful elegance and pragmatic functionality, elevating a mere sketch into a timeless design statement. Yet, beneath this effortless grace lies a relentless dedication to perfection. Häberli, despite his amiable demeanor, is a consummate perfectionist, driven by an unyielding commitment to excellence. His path to prominence began with a transformative sojourn to Milan, where he was captivated by the enchanting world of design. It was there that he resolved to carve his niche in this creative realm, a decision that ultimately led to the establishment of his eponymous studio, Alfredo Häberli Design Development, in 1991. Since then, Häberli has left an indelible mark on the design landscape, crafting a myriad of innovative products, orchestrating captivating interior compositions, and curating thought-provoking exhibitions.

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In the issue No. 11/2024 of Das HEFT from the University of Education FHNW, which focuses on «Practical Significance» (Praxisbedeutsamkeit), I have taken the opportunity, in collaboration with photographer Joan Minder, to visually explore this theme. Our photo essay intertwines dreams with reality, examining how theoretical knowledge can be incorporated into the design of practically significant objects.

The series of images presents a small but telling segment of my designs over the past three decades. Through the interplay of dream and reality, compositions were created that appear conceptual at first glance, yet reveal their practical relevance upon closer examination. These images challenge viewers to look beyond the initial impression and discover the actual products within the artistic portrayals. The works illustrate how the merger of theoretical knowledge and creative expression generates added value, emphasizing the practical significance of each designed object. This project reflects not only the tangible aspects of my creations but also delves deeply into the narratives behind each piece, conveying to readers the hidden depth and utility.

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From the very first thoughts and initial sketches, the Time-project, as the name suggests, focused on time and its relative perception. The aim was to go from a two-dimensional material that is as thin as possible to a third dimension by simply folding it – like the way a sheet of paper, cardboard or plywood is folded. Soft bends and organic contours define the design. Since 2017, countless models and the empirical search for ergonomic solutions have guided the project. Another aspect of the Time-factor was the transfer of this idea to different typologies: a chair, an armchair, a lounger. We will work on further variations in the course of Time.

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Our relationship with the car is a complicated one: For decades, there were no limits to personal freedom and maximum mobility on the roads. But in times of climate change, everything has to be rethought and cars are increasingly being pushed out of congested cities.

Question for the designer: Why are cars getting bigger and bigger? Swiss-Argentinian Alfredo Häberli likes to drive stylish vehicles from earlier decades, but has primarily made a name for himself as a designer of furniture and crockery. As a child, he often spent time at a motor racing circuit, which is where his deep love of cars comes from. He also lives this out now and again as a designer. A conversation about the beauty of the car and the questionable trend towards ever larger and more bulky vehicles. Also: cities without cars and how the automobile has shaped architecture.

Watch on Vimeo

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When the furniture fair was canceled during the pandemic in 2020, it presented an unexpected pause in my usually hectic agenda. This downtime became an opportunity for reflection and creativity, allowing me to put pen to paper and chronicle my early days in Milan. It was a chance to document my journey into the world of design, a path marked by encounters and experiences that have defined my career.

In the first volume of this two-part-book, I dive into my life in design, reflecting on pivotal moments and influential places. I discuss my interactions with Italian design maestros, the influence of English and American icons, and my enriching exchanges with design contemporaries like Konstantin Grcic, Jasper Morrison, and Patricia Urquiola. This volume also explores my meetings with visionary entrepreneurs and the objects and spaces that have sculpted my design ethos. The second volume turns a more personal corner, where I have asked thirty personalities from my network to pose one burning question each. Responding with a blend of humor and sincerity, I share insights that offer a deeper understanding of my design philosophy. This dialogue includes questions from notable designers, thinkers, architects, and journalists such as Tyler Brûlé, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Chantal Hamaide, and Max Küng, offering a comprehensive look into the minds shaping our design world. This narrative is not just a recount of my experiences but an invitation to explore the intricacies of design through my eyes, during a period that allowed for introspection and renewed creativity.

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The idea of the sofa Afuera was to design an extraordinary, comfortable, modular and very spacious sofa for outdoor use. The seating comfort should reach the quality of an indoor sofa. That sounds simple, but the outdoor challenge always comes with an additional handicap. We are talking about the weather: extreme temperatures of heat and cold, sun and UV radiation, humidity and moisture. In many countries, salt water is added to the mix, putting outdoor furniture to the test. The sofa Afuera consists of several upholstered elements. A wooden construction of crosswise runners and two longitudinal struts are made of weather-resistant iroko wood, on which the generously upholstered elements seem to float. Together with the versatile, complementary table elements, the sofa Afuera looks elegant, spacious, almost luxurious. A range of new wood colour pigments makes the sofa Afuera appear fresh, naughty, traditional or classy. On closer inspection, the unconventional seams stand out, deliberately contrasting with the upholstery and drawing their own endless lines.

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The expansion of the Dado Collection with the new Dado Outdoor sofa presents a modular design that guarantees exceptional comfort through a precise play of proportions, volumes and color. Its exceptional versatility makes it possible to create varied compositions that organize and define spaces such as terraces or outdoor porches. Manufactured with specific materials for outdoors and cushions with state-of-the-art foams, they allow optimal water drainage and rapid evacuation of moisture, guaranteeing effective drying.

Its graphic and essential geometry is enhanced with subtle details in the upholstery, which combines the main fabric, piping and small strips to define the shape of the seat, revealing a haute couture interior upholstery. Its modularity allows for various combinations with corners, central modules, chaise longue and footrest, adapting to public or private spaces. The concept of fully upholstered volumes stands out in Dado, with a unique upholstery technique using panels that shape their geometry and are joined through an elaborate seam, witch allows you to personalize the sofa with a graphic and distinctive gesture.

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«What we design designs us back.» This sentence by techno-futurist Jason Silva is the motto of the DDCast. Design influences the way we live together. We cannot carry on as before, or we will fall from crisis to crisis. Creativity is needed! How can we rethink the world with the help of design? Every week, the Deutscher Designer Club brings us strong voices from the worlds of design, science, business, politics. The DDCast, the podcast of the DDC, has been published since 2020 on a weekly basis. Listen here the episonde with Alfredo Häberli.

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When it comes to golf, less is more. At least that is the opinion of the founders of Golfyr, a start-up from St.Gallen (Switzerland) that is revolutionising the sport of golf with a carbon golf set and only seven golf clubs. They want to break away from the status quo and radically rethink golf, and so we together analysed the game from the bottom up with the vision «Rethink Golf». Carbon was the only material that was suitable for the realisation of the clubs and made the reduction from 14 to 7 golf clubs possible. The #sevenclubgame was born. A comprehensive collaboration resulted in an distinctive set that combines functionality and aesthetics in a unique way, opening up a new era in golf. Players can not only perform at the highest technological level, but also express their lifestyle through exclusive design. Are you ready to rethink golf?

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My aim is to achieve as much as possible with as little as possible, either through the chosen topic or through the material used, the lines drawn or the surfaces set. This is where I recognise the incredibly close and similar parallels to the Porsche 356SC: large and beautifully shaped surfaces, separated only by a few joints, form an overall sculptural shape that is reduced to a breathtaking silhouette. With my intervention I emphasise and underline this aesthetic. My artwork is a modern and contemporary addition that celebrates the bodywork art of the Porsche 356SC as sculpture and transfers it into today. It is an added value that makes this vehicle unique on the road or in the collection. Subtle yet very deliberate are the hand-applied colour surfaces, which become increasingly refined, elegant and timeless after longer observation. The choice of a very light, pastel-like colouring means that the differently painted areas of colour almost disappear when viewed from a distance. However, as you get closer, they become more and more evident, and when you look even closer, even the brushstrokes become visible. The colour, consciously applied by hand in different directions, caresses and flatters the form and emphasises the individual body parts, which are thus complemented and included. The basic form of the vehicle design becomes more visible and more consciously observed – we look even more closely.

To learn more about the project, please follow this interview in German.

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The redesign of the Rado Diastar focused on its everyday usability from the very beginning. The watch needed to acquire a contemporary look while still preserving the typical attributes of its history. The new model is modern and elegant and fits both the urban environment and the raw, wild nature. But it is not the busy city and the nature of adventure that defines the character. Rather, the new Original reflects the cultured world of museums, culinary arts, fashion and design. The Diastar is discreet and distinctive, reduced and full of personality at the same time, suitable for everyday wear as well as for the evening. A watch that is to be worn with attitude; for everyday life but not ordinary.

An Anniversary Edition is something special; not because it has to fulfil a special use, but because it is released at a especially exceptional time. That is why it was important for me to handle the history of this watch consciously and to respect the basic ideas of its origin. Nevertheless, I tried to look at many aspects in a different way: For example, the word part Dia stands for the diamond, thus for the hardness of the watch case, and Star in turn refers to the shine of the special material. I wanted to take up these references and interpret not only the diamond but also the past sixty years with the hexagonal cut of the watch glass. The case body is satin-finished to accentuate the shape of the cone-shaped bezel, which, together with the sunburst finish of the dial, creates a magical effect. Instead of a strict day display, there is a graduated scale to indicate the sensed day. To enable the watch to be worn on different occasions and in different situations, a sporty, high-quality Milanaise metal strap was created on the one hand. In addition, the edition comes with a self-developed, elegant, soft fabric strap. The special set is completed with a leather case that comfortably accommodates the watch with its two straps.

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The original drinking glass series was defined by a small number of different types with a strong design. Over the years, this collection has been constantly cultivated, expanded and adapted to match changing drinking habits. Like now with this new cocktail glass, it has always been a revelation to create a glass for a new purpose without losing the original character of the range. For me, it is an honor that the Essence range has been maintained for more than two decades now – this is a commitment that probably only a company like Iittala can make.

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In the 9:11 magazine, the sports car manufacturer presents entertaining and interesting facts from the world of Porsche. The spectrum ranges from heritage topics to product presentations and background reports to gripping motorsport stories. The 9:11 magazine complements the Porsche customer magazine Christophorus. In this episode, Alfredo Häberli takes us on a discovery tour of his home on Lake Zurich. During a journey to his studio, we learn how the keywords poetry and precision are reflected in his design language – and what connects them to his private 1976 Porsche 911.

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Current trends have changed the way we live and work. They have challenged us and carried us forward. The project In Out Office fits exactly into this context, between the «Office at Home» and «Home at the Office». The aim of the project is to achieve a maximum of possibilities with relatively few parts. This is a characteristic that has characterised my way of thinking and my designs for many years and can now unleash its full power with this project for Andreu World. Extensive research of needs has led to a new system that reaches an unexpected quality, whether in the look of the single piece or in the combination. Achieving this with just a few basic elements is the real strength of the In Out Office programme for Andreu World. The programme offers outstanding solutions for comfortable working in the office and uses the friendly and human design to apply some configurations equally well in private spaces at home. In Out Office glances into the near future and aims to provide an answer to what will change. Simple, direct, unpretentious, and clever. The central question is: Is it now the «Office at Home» or does one feel «Home at the Office»? The answer is about to emerge – and Andreu World is at the forefront of it.

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It was one of the most important moments in this project when I decided, together with Sabrina Cipolla, to use only one main ingredient for the entire menu: Carrots. Based on this starting point, the power of creativity was to be illustrated. «Back to the Roots» with a refined simplicity. «Roots» with the double meaning that is common in German for «back» to the simplicity of a dish, but also for the main ingredient as the «root» is perfectly fulfilled with the carrot. The decision is also ingenious because, despite the ingredient appearing simple at first glance, a surprising taste experience can be created. We have broken away from the traditional idea of starter, main course and dessert; all three dishes are of equal status and can also be enjoyed in parallel. The menu is much more a triad of possible appearance forms of carrots. These include puree, sauce and powder, with the world of art providing inspiration for the various consistencies. 

The preparation methods are elaborate and involve innovative but also technical tools, for which I develop ten inspiring kitchen tools: from a powder spoon with a spatula end to a saucepan with three tubs and tweezers with an applicator. It was important to me that the basic ingredient on each of the three plates has a different basic geometric shape: the triangle for the paste, the circle for the sauce and the square for the powder. The tools were designed exclusively for this menu for Siemens and are exclusive one-off pieces.

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This special-edition porcelain collection was created on the initiative of the design platform Menasa, which presents Emirati handicrafts and design at Expo2020 Dubai. Commissioned by this platform, local and international designers were invited to explore and represent seven Emirati crafts and traditions: Pottery, Safeefa (palm frond weaving), Talli (embroidery), Sadu (Bedouin weaving), Gargour making (wire-crafted fish traps), pearl diving and coffee making. Serving Gahwa (Arabic coffee) has been a tradition in Emirati society for centuries and in tribute to this importance, the rituals of preparing and presenting Arabic coffee were declared an immaterial cultural heritage by Unesco in 2015. Menasa has therefore created a collaboration between leading design brand BD Barcelona Design, the crafts company Bait Al Gahwa and me.

The result is a remarkable collection that combines the heritage of Gahwa with contemporary design. The stackable coffee cups reference the traditional architecture of the United Arab Emirates and the etiquette by which coffee cups are stacked and then offered to guests. One of the sets is in white and gold with patterns reminiscent of the traditional Areesh (palm frond) huts in the desert where coffee was prepared. A second set is in deep green and platinum. To complement these two coffee sets, colourful stackable coffee cups in dusty pink and grey were also designed.

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Alfredo Häberli – a name like a manifesto. Latin temperament is combined with Swiss functionality. The product designer creates fascinating interiors, accessories and scenographies based on this symbiosis. Highest aesthetics for everyday moments.

© Photos by Christian Grund

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«Actually, he could have easily become a model. But he decided to become a designer. Not a bad choice. But fashion has always remained his passion. Alfredo Häberli shows us once again how it (and he) goes.» By Jan van Rossem. Photos: Robertino Nikolic. Stylist: Sabine Berlipp. Grooming: Jasmin Berger and Carol Geiger. Photo assistance: Nick Soland. Styling assistance: Jasmin Onora Hug. Production: Snesha Bloom/ Call List

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Drawing has been part of my life since my earliest childhood. There was and is no day without a line that seeks its dialogue with an anonymous object; there are lines that follow a direct path, but there are also lines that have no goal. The Fixpencil invented in 1929 by the Geneva engineer Carl Schmid and registered at the patent office is 13 centimetres long, with a hexagonal shape and equipped with a clamping pliers mechanism. Now completed by my self with timeless contemporary colours.

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Since 1999 ​I have collaborated with Iittala already. During that time, I have created numerous designs, which have generated new paths and directions for Iittala as well as the social situations for which the designs have been created. The designs have become some of Iittala's best-known, most beloved, most distinctive and award-winning collections, such as the internationally acclaimed collections of  Essence (2001), Origo (1999) and Kids’ Stuff (2003). This exhibition Memories of the Future brings together all the projects realized between Iittala and me over two decades. The show combines a selection of objects and sketches from my personal archive and Iittala's collections. Video filmed at my studio in Zürich and an exhibition booklet shed light on my personal experiences, insights, and stories of the design processes behind each project.

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What is Alferano Studio? A showroom? An oversized dressing room? A temporary workplace for sales representatives? A waiting room? An event location? A bar-kitchen with added value? A stage for fashion shows? A photo studio? The extension of the boutique...?

These are the questions that kept me busy at this extraordinary time with this extraordinary space. It is precisely in such projects that the enormous potential lies, which a well-designed intervention in architecture can unfold. The room was first completely stripped out, reduced to an abstract shell and returned to its characteristic grid of columns and the formative beams of the roof structure. This empty space under the shed roof with its tiny window openings revealed something sacred: the peace it expressed, the symmetry and the light were so impressive and emotional that this quality had to be preserved at all costs. Only a few interventions were necessary: Architecturally, it is mainly two semi-circular wall elements, painted a confident and high-gloss sulphur green on the outside and white on the inside, just like the entire room. These two-metre-high walls divide the space and thus form consultation and sales zones. They act as a screen in the overheight attic, separating enough to create intimacy and at the same time leaving enough effect for the aerial space. The architectural intervention has the appearance of an art installation, the reduction has the look of a painting. The column grid is not touched. The symmetrical narrowing in the middle of the room acts like a gateway and pushes the workplaces towards the public and open front part with few built-in elements. With little intervention, I solve all the needs that have already been defined, but also those that are yet to arise in the course of this extraordinary time...

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