Stephan Hürlemann

Stephan Hürlemann is a Swiss architect and designer with his own studio in Zurich. Born in 1972 in the Canton of Appenzell, Hürlemann later studied architecture at ETH Zurich and then devoted several years to music. Starting in 2002, he worked for six years with designer Hannes Wettstein, who introduced him to the world of product and furniture design. After Wettstein's passing in 2008, Hürlemann became the creative head of Studio Hannes Wettstein, which he reinvented together with Managing Director Britta Herold and brand strategist Barbara Hutter. In 2016, the studio was renamed Hürlemann.

Since 2008, more than 100 designs by Stephan Hürlemann have been realized – including the headquarters Implenia Connect; the installation Giants with Dwarf for Horgenglarus; and Dancing Wall, one of Vitra's most successful products of recent years.

The rise of the climate movement in 2018 changed the way he saw his profession. He asked himself which side of history he wanted to be on: with those who knew but looked away, or with those who tried to make a difference. He drastically cut back on flying and increasingly pushed for sustainability in his projects. In 2023, Hürlemann and his partners finally reduced the size of the company to focus more strongly on the circular economy: designing products and spaces that are easier to repair, adapt, reuse and recycle, so that materials stay in use for longer. Examples include Reset, an adaptable platform system that can be reconfigured into ever-new spatial landscapes, and trade fair stands for Swisspearl designed to leave as little waste as possible. In addition, Barbara Hutter and Stephan Hürlemann co-founded World of Pi, which develops digital product passports that help extend the life of products. There, for a change, Hürlemann designs software architecture.

Read the latest article about Stephan's work.

People

Owner Studio Hürlemann AG: Stephan Hürlemann, Britta Herold and Barbara Hutter
Owner Stephan Hürlemann Design GmbH: Stephan Hürlemann
Design Assistant: Elisa Böll
Management Assistant: Martha Korda
Storytelling: Barbara Hutter