Stephan Hürlemann is a Swiss architect and designer with his own studio in Zurich. He designs furniture and products and realizes installations and architectural projects for brands such as Vitra, UBS, Sky-Frame, and Hermès. Born in Appenzell, he studied architecture at ETH Zurich and then worked for six years as managing director for designer Hannes Wettstein, who introduced him to the world of product and furniture design. After Wettstein's death in 2008, Stephan Hürlemann reinvented the studio and developed into an author.
Over the past 12 years, more than 60 design concepts by Stephan Hürlemann have been realized. His works are often systemic and have a holistic approach. Examples include the modular sofa family DS-21 (2016) for de Sede and the Appenzell handle collection (2018) for Glutz. The latter was included in the design collection of the Museum of Design Zurich in 2019.
In collaboration with Ruckstuhl, Hürlemann developed a carpet series in 2023 that creatively addresses the themes of digitalization, individualization, and product lifecycle. The 75 durable carpets made of pure new wool are produced by a tufting robot according to a digital dataset and can thus be individualized without significant additional effort. The idea is to create unique pieces that accompany their owners as FELLOW for as long as possible. By scanning the QR code, all relevant facts about the origin, materials, production, care, repair, and recycling of the carpet can be accessed. This digital “Fellow” also facilitates resale, allowing the product to begin the next chapter of its lifecycle. FELLOW is the world’s first interior design product with a digital product passport in 2023.
