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 60th anniversary model of the Diastar by Rado was unveiled at the Landesmuseum in Zurich during a festive dinner with many invited guests and media representatives.

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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Alfredo Häberli used his Live Talk at the DAAily bar during Milan Design Week to, among other things, explain the importance of analogue experiences and the human connections to be found in showrooms and at events like the Salone del Mobile and Fuorisalone. «It is not easy to communicate a sofa in a digital way,» explained the designer. «It is like a piece of art, a sculpture. You need to walk around it.»

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Moroso enriches the Clerkenwell Design Week in London with its participation. Join this festival for some exciting events and design talks.

As a special event Alfredo Häberli talks with Daniel Gava from Moroso about his relationship with this italian brand and his latest work (the Taba collection) as well as his approach to design and his soon-to-be-published book: TUESDAY 24. MAY 2022 from 18:00 to 21:30 at the showroom of Moroso in 7-15 Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4SP. Register to this event via this online form.

Andreu World brings the future of the workplace and the circular economy to Clerkenwell Design Week in London. Join this festival for some exciting events and design talks.

Alfredo Häberli introducing Giro Soft in a talk with Jessica-Christin Hametner from OnOffice Magazine: TUESDAY 24. MAY 2022 from 11:30 to 12:30 at the showroom of Andreu World in 104-110 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7DH. Register to this event via this online form.

Andreu World brings the future of the workplace and the circular economy to Clerkenwell Design Week in London. Join this festival for some exciting events and design talks.

As a special guest Alfredo Häberli has a «Conversation about Work» with Jessica-Christin Hametner from OnOffice Magazine: WEDNESDAY 25. MAY 2022 from 17:30 to 18:30 at the showroom of Andreu World in 104-110 Goswell Road, London EC1V 7DH. Register to this event via this online form.

After the great success, the sold-out Fixpencils for Caran d’Ache are now back in stock. The pen is available in the colour-shades plum and ochre.

Alfredo Häberli discusses furniture that touches the soul: «You can ask, is this piece of furniture design talking to me or not?» Watch the video to learn more…

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Together with Andreu World I am pleased to invite you on 9. November 2021 to the Spanish Design Day at the Expo2020 in Dubai. We are looking forward to seeing you in the Spanish Pavilion to share a day dedicated to design, creativity, innovation, together with Cosentino and Roca. There will be a presentation and a round table from 12:00 to 13:30 about Giro Soft, a sustainable and circular furniture system. Please register here.

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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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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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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«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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Eight renowned Designers show eight different ways of dealing with talent, which should not only be learned at design schools. In this book, they do not show what they have done, but explain in their own words how they do it.

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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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Gonzen has a sophisticated woollen expression, reminiscent of fine tailoring. It offers a semi-open view outside and gives warm atmosphere to the room. Colours range from neutrals to warm and indigo tones.

Niesen has a remarkably clear view through for a 3% openness screen. It has an aluminium coating which provides a high degree of control over glare while reducing the need for cooling systems and the associated energy consumption.

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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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In 2001, I designed the Essence glass range for Iittala with the simple idea to create a series that had as few glasses as possible while still being able to serve a full range of wines. Twenty years later I add a new dimension to the collection with Essence serving items. The serving collection consists of a reduced range of dishes that are designed to serve more than one purpose and be freely interpreted by the user. The new Essence line is a modern interpretation of a tableware, which finds its place in everyday life as well as in a festive atmosphere. The items’ expressive design creates a distinctive and elegant mood. The items cover all the needs around the table from daily use to festive and even formal occasions. The serving range includes four plain white ceramic items: a large round plate, a bowl, an oval plate and a small jar. The ceramic pieces are accompanied by three glass items in a refined dark grey glass colour: a mid-sized and a small bowl and a medium sized plate. The glass items have a beam pattern decoration in the base, that brings character to the otherwise clean lines of the collection. The items suit multiple purposes in a table setting and are perfect for serving delicacies like cheeses, pastries, sweets, biscuits, fruits, nuts, dips and sauces.

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Sofa Giro gets a «Best of Year Award» from the magazine Interior Design in the category «Contract Sofas». To accompany this exciting announcement, here is an exclusive interview produced by Dezeen, in which Alfredo Häberli tells the story of this system with modular seats that enable infinite uses.

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Organic, comfortable and cozy. The sofa Giro Soft is a modular  system that starts from a gesture, a smooth and infinitecurve. With it, the most efficient use of space is achieved, providing an organic, comfortable and welcoming character, supported by an architectural base with solid ash wood feet in the form of a sled or with an injected aluminum structure. Starting from a series of modules with 90- and 45-degree curves, straight or end segment, this new collection proposes multiple compositions that define and organize the environments. Giro Soft is lightweight, architectural, it has been created from elaborate upholstery work.

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Thirteen years after designing the Kvadrat showroom in Milan I have recreated the space once more. In essence, the new design for the interior aims to create a «passe-partout» – a pure showroom space that meets the diverse requirements of Kvadrat, Kvadrat Febrik, Really, Kvadrat Soft Cells, Kvadrat Shade and Kvadrat Rugs. Characterised by an interplay of organic and orthogonal lines, the light-filled showroom now features an exhibition space that extends over both floors, including the gallery. It hosts different sales areas for the Kvadrat brands. The experience of the showroom, which is located in Milan’s design hub, is shaped by the presentation of Kvadrat’s colourful textiles. Finely structured shelves, a bold illuminated cabinet, curtains and carpets are centre stage while upholstered cabinet doors create a visual backbone. White walls and metal elements, together with neutral oak and grey stone floors, provide a pure backdrop for the vibrant fabrics on show. Defining features of the showroom include an almost transparent staircase that invites visitors inside; a decorative metal railing, which emphasises the flowing shapes of the gallery; and the soft form of the suspended floor. The sensuous nature of the interior is underscored by an abundance of natural light and acoustic quality. Sound conditions are enhanced by Soft Cells acoustic panels while large windows that overlook the tranquil inner courtyard allow light to flood in, illuminating the colourful creations on display.

Photos © Santi Caleca

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Ecological building with a design demand: With Waldsicht the cooperation with Baufritz is continued. The Haussicht-study, developed in 2016, has now been turned into a residential building that is based on the modular system with design details developed together. Waldsicht shows a variety of possibilities how modern aesthetics and biological construction can harmonise. Waldsicht reveals in its name which element was key to the development of the building: The forest (Der Wald), which adjoins the property directly. The clients wanted a free-standing home for a family of four: Two children's rooms, a spacious bedroom, a workplace with a library and guest niche, a terrace in the morning sun and one in the evening sun. These requirements were translated 1:1 into a room concept, in the same design language as Haussicht. Waldsicht is designed from the inside to the outside, starting with the desired sense of space and moving on to the building architecture. Ecology and design are not contradictory, but rather the opposite, design creates added value. Diverse structures, surfaces and materials create a variety of shapes and colours, which can be understood as a direct response to the ever-changing nature around the house. With Waldsicht my view of tomorrow's living has become a reality built today.

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The furniture of the Taba collection is formed by superimposed organic lines. The inspiration for these shapes comes from an old Argentinean game, which is made from a cow bone. The asymmetrical lines create various seating possibilities, which offer a wide range of uses. Horizontal surfaces were deliberately created, as they are well suited as storage space or can be used for working. When using the furniture, the interaction of people should also be in the foreground. The Taba collection consists of a total of eight pieces: a sofa, two swivel armchairs, a bench and four poufs. These offers a wide range of possible uses in both public and private areas.

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