In 2018, Swiss Federal Railways commissioned Stephan Hürlemann to develop a trade fair concept for recruiting new employees. Under the slogan «Move Switzerland with us,» the Career Worlds Café was created. Set up as a pop-up at train stations, universities, and exhibition centers, it introduces job seekers to more than 150 SBB professions.

To achieve this, Hürlemann designed a modular system consisting of seven elements. These can be combined freely and adapted by SBB teams to suit each location.
Three typologies of two-meter-high cubes structure the space: a light module, a back-office module, and a multi-purpose module. Each unit is accessible from all sides, offering information surfaces outside and storage space inside.

At the center of the Career Café is a bar trolley with bistro tables, chairs, and an illuminated logo. Because all large elements are on castors, the layout can easily be reconfigured throughout the day. With the scalable Career Worlds Café, Hürlemann and his team created a forward-looking design – formally clear, functionally refined, and crafted from durable materials that age gracefully.

«I wanted to develop a radical concept that – like Schweizerische Bundesbahnen in its daily operations – plays with standardization and rules while conveying a sense of familiarity,» says the architect and designer.

The bar counter is made of multiplex wood panels mounted on a galvanized steel frame. Raku boxes serve as drawers. Cladding made of blackboard surfaces encourages playful communication. A perforated wooden panel allows different display elements to be attached – such as screens, custom brochure holders, or hooks and trays for giveaways.

The modular system is expandable, and the integration of train simulators is already being planned.