As part of its projects, the Andrin Schweizer Company develops subtle atmospheres through intensive reflection on the specific architectural features and functions of the spaces and their inhabitants. Andrin Schweizer received the invitation from Carte Blanche whilst his architectural firm was already in the process of designing a private residence in Zurich - so how is it possible to combine the diversity and serene elegance of the "Cotton&Stories" collection with Andrin Schweizer's wealth of ideas and sensitivity for an ambience that invites you to linger for a while. We spoke to him about the potential hidden in the history of a room and how this influences his creativity.
After receiving the invitation, we decided to use materials from Création Baumann to furnish a property that we were already in the process of converting. So the need was to select materials from the collections of Création Baumann that could best support our design concept, which was already agreed with the customer.
The rooms in the house became more sensual and warmer. They also fit in better, again, with the spirit of the time when the house was built, whilst still exuding a significant amount of modernity and freshness.
We were perhaps a little more daring than we would normally be in the combination of different fabrics. It's not every day that you get the opportunity to freely create designs using materials with the range and quality of the "Cotton&Stories" collection. As well as looking good, these fabrics feel great to the touch.
Andrin SchweizerVELOURS IS THE ABSOLUTE HIGH FLYER AT PRESENT, AND CRÉATION BAUMANN IS DOING EVERYTHING JUST RIGHT WITH VELLING
Yes! Serata Fior particularly appealed to me, due to its light daintiness. I also really liked the VELLING cotton velour, primarily because of its sensuous touch and really great colours. We used VELLING in practically every room.
In my mind's eye, I immediately see countless possibilities for how a room can be designed. Each room has great potential in its own really individual way. It always comes down to a combination of the history of the house and the stories of its inhabitants or users. Naturally, each property is always considered in the context of its closer and wider environment. My team and I do not try to force our own style onto our customers; instead, we try to develop a suitable language for each project so that the nature of the house and its inhabitants is expressed.
A sense of a room develops through many little pieces of a puzzle. It is formed from the used materials, colour combinations, proportions and positioning of the furniture, the used lighting, and also the ingress of natural light. When I first walk in, I try to split the essence of the room into its individual parts, and to grasp why and how the room's sensation comes about.
I find it important and natural that as a Swiss designer I should support local Swiss companies wherever possible. Textile production has a long and rich tradition in our country, and yet this tradition is at threat of gradually being lost. Création Baumann differs from many other Swiss textile companies: Not only does it still exist, but it is still thriving!
Andrin SchweizerTHE STYLES THAT CAN BE FASHIONED WITH THIS COLLECTION ARE AS DIVERSE AS THE COLLECTION'S MATERIALS
My designs are strongly oriented towards the present, and I keenly perceive current trends. However, I always make reference to the history of a building or a room. And of course, whatever we design needs to remain relevant for the next few years! So my designs are always a combination of the past, present, and future. I love getting to grips with rooms and getting the best out of them.
For me, they really do play a central role. I find living spaces without curtains, beautiful upholstery, and rugs hard to fathom. Thankfully, the times when curtains were almost frowned upon by architects are gone.
I love old buildings. They offer me a huge stock of inspiration. I like to immerse myself in the substance of a building and the time when it was built, and to refer to these in my designs. In my opinion, nothing we do makes sense if we're ignorant of history. This applies in interior design as well as in politics and life in general.
I live in a house that was built in the 1960s, a little outside Zurich. My partner and I bought it three years ago and have renovated it - and fitted it with curtains made by Création Baumann, by the way!
The man who is perhaps Switzerland's best-known interior designer opened his first architecture firm immediately after finishing his studies at the ETH (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich). Several successful design concepts for the former director of Expo.02, Pipilotti Rist, then gave rise to projects at home and abroad. From venerable hotels to flagship stores and private homes inside and outside Switzerland, the Andrin Schweizer Company has treated each new room as if it were their first. This ambition to find the right architectural language for each new project has resulted in an extensive and diverse portfolio. In particular following his work with various Swiss TV programs, Andrin Schweizer is also known to a broad public.
"Carte Blanche" is Création Baumann's invitation to selected interior designers to interpret a collection in a location of their choice in their own style - showcasing the range of possibilities for textile room design using fabrics from this traditional Swiss company.
Artistic management, styling, project leadership and management: Andrin Schweizer, Dominik Schneider, and Chantal Siegenthaler for the Andrin Schweizer Company
Sewing Studio: As Atelier-Schildknecht AG, Egg
Upholsterer: Bopp AG Polstermöbelfabrik, Adliswil
Furnishing: Colombo la Famiglia, Zollikon
Photographer: Lorenz Cugini, Zürich
A clear hand, subtle colour nuances, and strong contrasts - Andrin Schweizer's team has converted this space into an experience from a single mould. The deliberate use of light and shade creates a harmonious and comfortable atmosphere.
An ode to nature: let yourself be inspired by the original vitality of the NATURE & POEMS collection in which fine patterns, bold textures and subtle colours converge organically.
Iria Degen creates space designs with timeless beauty. So it was all the more exciting for the interior designer to create a re-look for an object she had designed more than ten years ago.
A successful indoor atmosphere has a positive effect on the well-being of the people living in those rooms. Good acoustics plays an important role here and textiles can help to give it a distinct shape.