Designer of the year 2009: Alfredo Häberli

The magazine A&W (Architektur & Wohnen = Architecture & Living) jury named the designer Alfredo Häberli as „Design-Playboy“, when they awarded him as designer of the year 2009. The title of the designer of the year 2009 was combined with
this misleading description. Because Häberli is no playboy llike Hugh Heffner. In fact he became in his inconspicuous way to one of the most desired designers of the world.

The title „Design-Playboy“ does not seem to be made up, because Alfredo Häberli is a very good looking man. But this is not enough to become designer of the year 2009 and to and to name several design classic his own. And so the jury of the magazine commended he magazine Architektur & Wohnen (Architecture & Living) especially the fancy and subtle of his products.

Alfredo Häberli combines opposites – in his products, and in himself. Born in 1964 in Buenos Aires, Argentinia. But with 13 years he moved with his family from the South to Switzerland, where he graduated at the Secondary School for Art, founded his own design studio and celebrated his first successes.

fascinaed combination
Like Alfredo Häberli combines different sides and point of views in himself, also his products own it, this fascinating combination of different perspectives. Häberli combines the knowledge about the history of an object with childish curiosity and enthusiasm. He, himself thinks that the challenge of a design is to refuse the known and to think new.

From this beginning, the tableware-series Origo was designed for Iittala in 1999, which is now an accepted classic. Origo is tableware for the young household: multisided insertable and multicoloured striped, so that it fits in every surrounding without any problems. Häberli reduced the amount of the available objects of Origo on a multisided insertable minimum. This idea was already used in 2001 on the Essence-glasses: with a sparse of different glasses did he want to serve many drinks in adapted, correct glasses.

Perfect comfort with a bit of speciality stand also at the glazierye Senta and the Tris Tea lights (both for Iittala) in the centre – A beginning, which can be transfered to other areas, like Häberli proved in 2003 with the swivel chair Take A Line For A Walk for Moroso. Also the perspective of the armchair created a visual imagination of seating-comfort and invides to encapsule from the environment in the deep shapes of the armchair.

Alfredo Häberlis qualities made him to one of themost famous designers of the world. Famous manufacturers like Moroso, ClassiCon, Driade, Offect and Iittala produce his products and with "Alfredo Häberli Design Live" a whole book is written about him.

While his designs convince on the first sight, Alfredo Häberli barely delimits himself. He is not a popstar like some of his colleagues and his brand mark is not the loud effect which addresses the viewer. Häberlis handwriting is hidden in the detail. Through that his works are not easy to discover on the first sight, but they convince in their cause and are as successfull as his colleagues.

According to his statement Häberli follows no commercial interests, but looks for a honest innovation and correction. Those he find here and there, questions himself and his ideas. Maybe that is way it takes longer for him to be known international.

At the end the products speak for him and Alfredo Häberli delivered for his career more than adequate proves for his quality. Not for nothing he is designer of the year 2009.