House Of Switzerland: When Design Celebrates Connection

Milan 2025: Drawing on Switzerland’s rich creative tradition, this group exhibition brings together emerging designers, brands and institutions.

The third edition of Swiss House will take place from 7 to 13 April 2025 at the Casa degli Artisti. As part of Milan Design Week, this initiative celebrates the power of connections and relationships, which are in themselves its driving force and catalyst.

With the presence of independent designers, universities, brands and institutions, this collective exhibition gives life to a fruitful meeting of talents, thus once again highlighting the extraordinary diversity of Swiss design and the importance of collaboration not only as a characteristic feature of the Swiss creative scene, but also as a fundamental principle of the country’s cultural and industrial development.

The act of collaboration itself actually goes beyond the design process, because it is a real process. Vectors of change can transcend geographic and industry boundaries, bringing together different cultures. Ultimately, combining creativity, skills, and diverse perspectives into a single project can produce results that are greater than the sum of their individual contributions, thereby reaching a wider and more diverse audience.

However, to create value, collaboration must be based on mutual trust, open dialogue and dynamic synergy. It is on this fertile ground, where artisans engage in dialogue with designers and designers interact with brands, that the exchange of ideas (and sometimes the clash) is transformed into concrete innovations . Here, in the inspiring setting of the Maison de la Suisse, tradition and modern technology come together to create avant-garde designs.

A critical and highly artistic look at international exhibition services

This year’s jury, made up of creative visionaries and leading figures from the European design world, includes Johanna Agerman Ross , Senior Curator at the Design Museum in London, Maddalena Casadei , designer and art director, Max Fraser , editorial director of Dezeen magazine, Marie Hesseldahl , design director at +Halle, and Janni Vepsalainen , creative director at Iittala. Their critical insights will help the exhibition gain an international reach.

This year, the exhibition, as already mentioned, is dedicated to the theme of collaboration. For this purpose, it has returned once again to the emblematic Casa della Arte in Via Tommaso da Cazzaniga – Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi, 89/A, whose exhibition spaces, spread over three floors, host a wide variety of projects. Thanks to the contribution of Faust Linoleum and Forbo, official suppliers of the Casa degli Svizzera in Milan, each exhibition floor is characterized by a coherent materiality that unifies the graphic style of the exhibition, acting as a connecting thread between the various spaces. The long-term collaboration between these two entities is in itself a wonderful example of the art of doing things together : a partnership that continues to explore new uses for linoleum in the world of furniture.

As part of a three-year joint project, the Swiss representation and the Swiss cultural foundation Pro Helvetia confirm their partnership to showcase Swiss design ingenuity.

The Seventies, the Future and Participation: A Production Based on Jeanie Moynier and Spectrodrama

With an immersive scenographic installation inspired by the golden age of the 1970s workspace, Swiss design duo Gini Moynier and graphic studio Spektrodrama are setting out an artistic direction that invites visitors on a journey through time. Through expressive installations and modular open-space configurations that connect different exhibition levels, the public will be encouraged to reflect on the legacy of the past. At the same time, they will be asked to imagine how innovative thinking and cutting-edge technological solutions can open the door to a brighter future.

Specially designed seating throughout the atrium and co-working spaces will provide visitors with the opportunity to pause, interact and fully enjoy the works on display. Through active participation , participants can share their views on the shared theme, in line with the curatorial aim to encourage interaction and dialogue between different people, ideas and approaches.

The scenographic elements, designed with sustainability and circularity in mind , will then be recycled or reused for future events and exhibitions, underlining the Swiss designer’s focus on environmental responsibility. Beyond the specific benefits of collaboration, this exciting scenario also reminds us of the universality of design: a common language capable of connecting different cultures, visions and audiences, going beyond its own context of origin.

From School to Independent Designer: A Review of Installations at Casa degli Artisti

Spread over three floors of the Artists’ House, Milan Swiss House 2025 is a vast and varied constellation of installations . Projects, studies and prototypes reflect the diversity of contemporary Swiss design. Independent designers, schools, studios and new institutions collaborate side by side, offering a common vision based on the theme of collaboration. From inclusive work to experimental craftsmanship, from radical ecology to digital innovation, each project is born from the fusion of different languages, experiences and visions. Among them, the collaborative work Designed in CH Made in JP by ECAL (University of Art and Design), which combines Swiss tradition with Japanese design, as well as the kwer project and the universal dining service designed by dversa, taking into account the needs of users of all ages and abilities.

The theme of inclusivity also returns in the Moïra carpet by Swisswool, in the RE:COLLECTION collection by Salomon Elsler and in the modular Furikake lamp. Technological research plays an important role in TechTact, where artificial intelligence and ceramics meet. Editorial projects such as SEMESTER (SUPSI) and hybrid projects between art and design such as Dorothy’s House by the Swiss Institute finally complete a polyphonic and holistic collective exhibition, where each work is a testament to interdisciplinary, intergenerational and intercultural collaboration .

Among the many proposals submitted, we have selected a few that particularly illustrate design’s ability to create unexpected connections and possibilities.

Swiss Paraplegic Foundation – Design for Inclusion

The composition of three rings speaks about the importance of inclusive design, which aims to meet the needs of people with disabilities. This installation is the result of a collaboration between the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation, Mode Suisse, Swiss Design Award and Augment IT. Particular attention is paid to the promotion of a lifestyle based on independence . In other words, it is a reflection on the transformative potential of design in dialogue with medicine, technology and research.

New talent – a joint push

On the other hand, unpublished hope and vision come from the young Swiss designer. They are the protagonists of a creation that covers a wide range of topics: from experiments with biomaterials to social issues such as gender and inclusivity, as well as spatial design. Each project, regardless of its specificity, is an exercise in collaboration and exchange, made possible by installations created in partnership with Faust Linoleum and Forbo.

Asshole – Baddance With Thebadweeds

An interactive media installation that combines hip-hop, plants, performance and activism. The half-human, half-plant collective THEBADWEEDS invites us to rethink our relationship with the environment and celebrate the resilience of “weeds”. A wry and visionary ode to biodiversity and sustainability, produced by mudac, the museum of design and applied arts in Lausanne.

Lena Bernasconi – WWW (Women’s Workwear)

With the WWW project, designer Lena Bernasconi breaks down the gender biases embedded in workwear. The result is trousers designed by women who work with wood, for women and for women: protective, adaptable, comfortable. The design becomes a collective story thanks to the contribution of 25 women interviewed and becomes English: a tool for empowerment and inclusion .

Marie Koppanen and Estelle Bourdais – Jalinan Budaya

Craftsmanship traditions and innovative materials are intertwined in a hand-woven bio-fabric made from flax and bacterial cellulose. In this case, researcher Mari Koppanen and weaver Estelle Burdet combine knowledge, research and textile technology. The ultimate and collective goal is to revive craft as a space for experimentation and intercultural dialogue. In this way, design returns to its slow, rooted and deeply human dimension.

Lucerne School of Design, Film and Arts – Living Tent

The Living Tent is a collaborative project between students and teachers at the Lucerne School of Design, Film and Arts. Specifically, it is an installation inspired by the world of circus, where each talent contributes to the overall work. In doing so, a constantly evolving structure is born that welcomes and engages the public, serving as a tangible symbol of community, co-creation and co-learning.