Made to last: Röthlisberger

The production halls of the Röthlisberger company are a hive of concentrated activity. People are sawing, sanding and filing. Expertise guides their every move and their passion for the material is palpable. Every single piece of furniture created here aspires to be incomparable. That often means having to find totally new production methods. And there’s plenty of space for innovative ideas at the firm’s modernly equipped development and production site in Gümlingen near Berne, where everything takes place under one roof – from coming up with the initial ideas to their meticulous implementation, all the way to global sales.

In collaboration with renowned designers, the company has been creating unique furniture for the in-house Röthlisberger Kollektion since 1977. While the tasks have become more complex, much has remained unchanged. Like the company’s signature Swiss quality, its creative inquisitiveness, the sustainable production process and the desire to ensure the optimal implementation of every single furniture design so that it has the potential to become a classic. The best example of this approach is the Stack of Drawers by Susi and Ueli Berger: thanks to its sculptural appearance, it doubles as both a piece of furniture and a work of art. But transforming the initial joint idea into a three-dimensional object calls for intense analysis, a great deal of expertise and a sure instinct for craftsmanship. The foundation for that is always the same: a trusting relationship between the designer and the company. It’s not unusual for that relationship to last for years and lead to a succession of new and fruitful designs. ‘My grandfather was the first to work with Robert Haussmann, followed by my father, and eventually I was even able to work with him myself. If you build a relationship into a friendship, as we did with Trix and Robert Haussmann, it leads to all sorts of beautiful, joint ideas over the years,’ says Jan Röthlisberger, who today heads the company together with his brothers.

In the case of their latest project, for instance, the Lou Lou screen by Iria Degen, nobody initially knew what the outcome would be. Instead, it was the company’s productive collaboration with the Swiss designer on an interior design project that prompted the idea of working on a furniture design together as well. The result is a stylish room divider that combines an organic design language with premium workmanship and various optional accessories for individual needs. But the company’s collaborations for its furniture range are by no means limited to Swiss designers. The Röthlisberger Kollektion portfolio includes a number of international greats as well. Like Tomoko Azumi, for instance. Inspired by her Japanese background, the London-based designer created a modern version of the traditional rustic chairs typically found in German-speaking Alpine regions.

Text: Stefanie Solèr

Photos: Nicolas Bruni; Röthlisberger

Röthlisberger Kollektion
Sägeweg 11
CH-3073 Gümligen
Phone +41 (0)31 950 21 40
kollektion@roethlisberger.ch