About Joerg Boner
born in Uster
1993-96
studies of interior architecture and product design, School for Design, Basel
1996-98
collaboration with the office for interior architecture Berger & Stahl, Basel
since 1999
own office for product design and interior architecture in Basel, since 2001 in Zurich
since 2001
associate lecturer for product design at ECAL (école cantonale d’art), Lausanne
2003
author of the Book "Stefan Zwicky: Exhibition Architecture", Frame/Birkhäuser, Amsterdam/Basel
since 2004
art director of the collection nanoo
Portrait
Portrait by Robert Thiemann,
editor-in-chief of Frame, the international magazin of interior architecture and design
Jörg Boner is a designer who thinks in terms of stories. Whether the subject is a chair, a lamp or an exhibition stand, his designs never fail to stir the imagination or evoke memories. His trade-fair stand for bicycle importer Velo.com conjures up the dark and mysterious atmosphere of a terrarium. Ajax, a writing desk ideal for computer use, is a modern reference to the age-old secretaire, and a folding cupboard dubbed Hoover subtly winks at the lightweight world of camping supplies.
A designer who spins tales is open to suspicion. Is Jörg Boner trying to make art? The answer is no. But on occasion, when a project allows, his work can be construed as such. His interpretation of the traditional Swiss milking stool, for example, is a fascinating object: the fungi-filled seat seems to imply that milking cows by hand is passé. Here the client gave Boner carte blanche, an isolated opportunity to emphasise the narrative quality of the design.
The client-designer relationship is what identifies Boner as a designer rather than an artist: all his stories, images and experiential backdrops are coloured, shaped and defined by the specific task he's been asked to do. Jörg approaches no product or spatial design without an awareness of the client, the manufacturer, the market and the user. Is it functional? Manufacturable? Affordable? He's forced to consider each building block that goes into his design, just as the author must consider each letter that goes into his story. The writer best able to recite the alphabet, however, does not necessarily tell the most compelling tale. The ability to make designs that speak a language familiar to a wide audience distinguishes Jörg Boner from many of his Swiss colleagues. Furthermore, he seems to be equally adept at designing products and creating spatial experiences. And to top it all off, the man is a talented writer as well. Is there anything typically Swiss about his work? I see his homeland in the clarity of concept and line, in the meticulous realisation of his ideas, in the light and efficient use of materials, and in a certain sense of modesty.
If it were up to me, he'd approach more of his work with less modesty.
Exhibitions
2003
Museum of Design Zurich | "From Sweden with love – swedish and swiss design" | bench WHO’S GONNA DRIVE YOU HOME TONIGHT?
2002
Spazio Opos, Mailand | bench WHO’S GONNA DRIVE YOU HOME TONIGHT?
2002
Victoria & Albert Museum, London | "Milan in a van – best of Milan furniture fair 2002" | bench WHO’S GONNA DRIVE YOU HOME TONIGHT?
2001
"Swiss made" – current design from Switzerland | Köln | wardrobe HOOVER
2001
MoMA Museum of Modern Art, New York | "workspheres" | writing desk AJAX
2000
Design Biennale Turin | "washing day – wire frame" | teamwork N2 Design
2000
Museum for Contemporary Art Zurich | "washing day – wire frame" | teamwork N2 Design
Prizes, Awards, Appreciations
2006
International Design Award Baden-Württemberg 2006 | Focus Energy in silver
2006
IF GOLD Design Award Germany | wardrobe DRESSCODE
2005
Good Design Award | Chicago Athenaeum | wardrobe DRESSCODE
2005
Nomination | Design Prize Switzerland 2005 | wardrobe DRESSCODE
2005
Nomination | Design Prize Germany 2005 | wardrobe DRESSCODE
2005
Interior Innovation Award Cologne | best material/ imm 2005 | wardrobe DRESSCODE
2004
purchase of the design collection of the Swiss Federation | Museum of Design Zurich | project cooking and dinner rounds COOKUK
2003
award product design | IF Design Award Germany | light PAN | Design Boner/Deuber
2003
purchase of the design collection of the Swiss Federation | Museum of Design Zurich | bench WHO'S GONNA DRIVE YOU HOME TONIGHT?
2002
Milan in a van – the best of the Milan furniture fair 2002 | Victoria & Albert Museum, London | bench WHO'S GONNA DRIVE YOU HOME TONIGHT?
2002
purchase of the design collection of the Swiss Federation | Museum of Design Zurich | wardrobe HOOVER
2002
purchase of the Collection Fonds National d'Art Contemporain, France | wardrobe HOOVER
2001
award product design | IF Design Award Germany | writing desk AJAX | Design Boner/Deuber
2000
1. prize | Swiss support award 2000 (SMI) | wardrobe HOOVER
2000
prize winner in the category design | Swiss competition for applied arts (BAK) | wardrobe HOOVER
1999
prize winner in the category design | Swiss competition for applied arts (BAK) | teamwork N2 Design
1998
2nd prize | competition "design for Europe 1998" Kortrijk, Belgium | writing desk AJAX
since 1998
Jörg Boner has been represented in three editions of the "International Design Yearbook" with four products
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