Hannes Wettstein

Hannes Wettstein (1958-2008) was one of the most innovative and influential designers of Switzerland. Already the beginning of his career was different: The 1958 in Ascona born Wettstein, finished a draughtsman apprenticeship and continued his training as an autodidact to become designer and architect. He was equally fascinated by technological developments and arts-history and society, industrial, cultural and ritual questions to invent something new. The absoluteness wasn’t an attitude, but his method. The open will of rethinking everything that characterizes design: everyday situations, room organization and utility of things, led him to surprising and simple solutions that are long lasting. Technology transfer out of strange areas, years of research at one idea or material and a fine sense for quality of a brand: Hannes Wettstein formed the world while he tried to explain interior values of things that surrounded him. Pure, non-spectacular, functional design embossed his lamps and furniture designs; he landed at simple forms and classic modern lines again and again. These one suited in his world image and the society, in his convincement avant la lettre, after what only self-evident design survives. Hannes Wettstein designed utility objects as elegant and fulfilled that they received identity which couldn’t be influenced by changing trends. He also created archetypes in room design: place-adapted, sensitive complete solutions, interior designs or set designs. The all-round art of furnishing also the world, lives on in the 1991 founded Studio Hannes Wettstein today.