Journey into the future of design

The first-ever Zurich Design Biennale is underway in Switzerland's largest city under the motto "Hello Future". It features the design of tomorrow, from gardens made of silk patterns to bird-shaped drones. 

Silk Memory Garden

PLACEHOLDER

With his work “Silk Memory Garden”, artist François Chalet calls on visitors to help care for a “garden” made of delicate fabric patterns. The light installation projects patterns from 200-year-old silk textiles, originally designed in Zurich. The project was brought about through the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. 

Robotic pavilion

Keystone

The Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich’s contribution to the design show is a “robotic pavilion”, a two-story wooden structure made by robots. On two evenings, the Museum of Digital Art will take visitors on an interactive tour of the structure and the digital world.

Border stories

Keystone

What can you make out of garbage? Designers Fabio Henry and Seongil Choi make art out of cut hair from hair salons, steel wool or 3D printing powder. Their installation “border stories” explores the borders of what’s doable in design.

Electric Animal Plant

Keystone

There’s something happening at the greenhouse in the University of Zurich’s old botanical garden. When you walk in, you hear sounds and the pink “Electric Animal Plant” starts to move. It’s all part of an installation by students from the Zurich University of the Arts.

Drone costumes

Keystone

Léa Peyreyre makes costumes for drones. She decorates the quadcopters and turns them into magical flying objects for the design firm Verity StudiosExternal link, which has also made drones for the likes of Cirque du Soleil. A selection of her works will be on display – and in flight – at the design biennale.