Design Prize Switzer­land: Starting a new era

Benjamin Moser, editor-in-chief of Wohn­revue maga­zine, will become the curator of the Design Preis Schweiz from 1 January 2022. «We want to preserve what is good and dare to do some­thing new,» he says, looking forward to the new chal­lenge, which he will take on together with his partner Debora Biffi and Thomas Walliser, successful publisher of the maga­zines Modulør, Wohn­revue and Edel­weiss Travel Maga­zines for ten years.

«We are very happy that, with the new spon­sor­ship, we have found a team, which is in an ideal posi­tion of taking the prize into the next era,» says Urs Stampfli, outgoing pres­i­dent of the Design Preis Schweiz asso­ci­a­tion. Michel Hueter, who shaped the devel­op­ment of the prize as curator for ten years, commends: «Benjamin, Debora and Thomas know the Swiss design industry from a wide range of perspec­tives, thanks to their previous activ­i­ties, they are very well networked and enjoy great support among all the prize›s target groups».

The trans­fer­ring spon­sor­ship had campaigned for the prize as a team and in different capac­i­ties since 2011. Raphael Rossel, media officer since 2012 and vice-pres­i­dent of the Design Preis Schweiz asso­ci­a­tion since 2018, sums up the joint work: «The prize is very well posi­tioned as an indi­cator of the Swiss design industry and has a sustain­able and viable network thanks to strong part­ner­ships.» After 10 years now, it is the perfect time for the old manage­ment to step down and make room for some­thing new.

Benjamin Moser›s team will continue to run the Design Preis Schweiz in Langen­thal within the existing frame­work and bien­nial rhythm. Like the departing spon­sor­ship, it is also relying on the capital of the Design Preis Schweiz in the form of «excel­lence», «know-how» and «network». In the long term, it wants to expand the contin­uous, nation­wide commu­ni­ca­tion around the award winners, the network and the part­ners of the Design Preis Schweiz.