House of Switzerland Milano • Design Week 2024

In a collective exhibition bringing together emerging designers, studios, universities, brands, and galleries from across the country, Presence Switzerland and the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia are once again showcasing a wealth of Swiss-related talents from the world of contemporary design. This collaboration between the two organisations seeks to foster and increase visibility to visionary creatives while giving them a physical platform, enabling them to express a cross-section of narratives to a global audience.

Addressing this year’s project with an intrinsic curiosity, designers have been posed with questions which explore their emotive connection to the design process. In contemplating the sentiments and feelings experienced as a designer and a viewer, on both a collective and individual scale, immersive installations situated within the house and its surroundings invite us to reflect upon the contentment found through our connection to design.

Rooted in a sense of hope and optimism, through topics such as circularity, wellness and our connection to nature, each project offers a unique interpretation of the joy found in ingenuity and innovation. Be it momentary actions that may instigate a pure and childlike reaction, or the deeper and more complex degrees that such sensations can be experienced within a multifaceted society, joy is something we all connect to. Subtle, yet vibrant, constant, yet fleeting, intimate, yet shared, it is a juxtaposition for us all. Yet the quest to hold onto it remains remarkably individual.

In exploring the nuances of joy, and its connection to design, we hope to re-establish its importance more than ever within today’s world, while focusing on the need to encourage a culture which allows it to be distributed in equal measure. Displaying the power of collaboration and how design can be utilised as a positive force for change, the House offers a stimulating glimpse into Switzerland’s vibrant contemporary creative sector.

All exhibitors were nominated by an independent jury made up of renowned specialists:

• Johanna Agerman Ross / London, United Kingdom — chief curator design museum, founder and director of Disegno.
• Alessio Ascari / Milan, Italy — founder and creative director of Kaleidoscope magazine and Capsule, curator of Spazio Maiocchi.
• Wataru Kumano / Miyota, Japan — founder and designer of the design office Kumano. 

The projects and design ideas involved reveal essential qualities of functional aesthetics and also contribute to the design of a more resilient and sustainable world.

Presence Switzerland and the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia

In a three-year collaborative project, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and Presence Switzerland have embarked on a mission to spotlight the future and dynamism of Swiss design to a global audience. With a new theme each year, the House of Switzerland is the physical culmination of the project, taking residence in Milan’s iconic Casa degli Artisti in Brera. Split across three floors, with indoor and outdoor installations, the House draws from the country’s design heritage, while addressing themes through a current lens and a future-focused vision.