about — Florian Hauswirth

Studies and experiences

Florian Hauswirth, born 1976 in Dielsdorf, near Zurich, CH. Following a four-year traineeship as a technical model maker in a model and mould design office, Florian Hauswirth worked for five years a professional in the field – initially with small companies, later for three years as a product developer for the Vitra furniture manufacturer in Birsfelden, close to Basel in Switzerland.

During his studies, he continued to work as a model maker during the semester vacations, and at the same time also as a materials researcher with Vitra. In 2006 he was given the additional opportunity to graduate in industrial design in collaboration with Vitra at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). Parallel to his university studies, Florian Hauswirth was active in the street-art collective Die Seiner, involving on-spec 2D and 3D works, as well as commissioned pieces for clients such as Carhartt.

In 2005, already whilst studying, Florian Hauswirth won, together with Thomas Walde, the Nike Play Award, then next the special prize at the Design Biennale Lucerne in 2006. This was followed by various nominations, ranging from the Berner Design Preis, Salone Satellite Milan and the Swiss BKA Design Award, culminating in 2010 in a Wallpaper Award. Likewise in 2010, he won a studio grant from the Berner Design Stiftung for New York, which for him proved to be a formative experience. Subsequently, in 2016, he won a marketing prize for a product line and a travel grant, together with Katia Ritz, which took him to Hong Kong, Mongolia, China and Japan.

From 2009 onwards his work came to increasingly focus on spatial works, again in tandem with architect Katia Ritz. What began as the Installative Spatial Laboratory morphed into a collective practice involving both scenography and architecture, as well as interim-use and urban-planning projects. This team effort resulted in a number of successful architectural competition entries, including a school, the Autonomous Youth Centre in Biel, an enactment project for the Hoher Kasten tunnel and a first prize for the idea competition for the Gas Works site in Berne. In 2020 the partnership’s RITZWIRTH collective was invited for a solo exhibition with an accompanying book publication at the Kunsthaus Pasquart in Biel.

After a long period of collaborative freelance projects, since 2022 Florian Hauswirth has now been a partner in the architectural office rk-Studio, which was founded by Katia Ritz.

His professional skills as a design assistant were acquired working for Vogt + Weizenegger in Berlin and for Barber Osgerby in London. Both studios operate as co-authored teamwork practices, with their spectrum spanning the fields of focused conceptual work, space and the object. In 2007 Florian Hauswirth was a co-founder of the sustainable design collective Postfossil, which advanced to play a pioneering role in the design scene.

Florian Hauswirth has given workshops at various universities: Kassel, ZhdK Zurich, HEAD Geneva, as well as the Design Week in Bratislava. Since 2017 he has held a position as a lecturer and a core team member of the Object Design degree course at the HSLU Lucerne Department of Art and Design, including teaching spatial design and interdisciplinary modules (Colabor+). As of 2023 he will be responsible, together with the graphic designer Julia Bazzini, for the conception and realisation of the HSLU’s annual “Werkschau” graduate exhibition.

Florian
Hauswirth
design

“As a designer, one should be aware of one’s responsibilities. The projects you undertake should contribute to a meaningful future.”

We need to assume responsibility for the effects our works produce. Projects devoid of a sense of meaning are of no interest to him. He is open for all collaborative ideas, and the doors to his studio and workshop in Biel/Bienne in Switzerland are always open too.

FlorianHauswirthdesign

“As a designer, one should be aware of one’s responsibilities. The projects you undertake should contribute to a meaningful future.”

We need to assume responsibility for the effects our works produce. Projects devoid of a sense of meaning are of no interest to him. He is open for all collaborative ideas, and the doors to his studio and workshop in Biel/Bienne in Switzerland are always open too.

Florian
Hauswirth
design