Corin Gisel (co-founder and project lead at common-interest) and Ann Kern (designer and Swiss Design Awards Winner 2019) meet up in Basel to discuss about what happened since last year’s Swiss Design Awards and how the pandemic impacted their workflow and sense of direction. They also exchange views on how the Swiss cultural scene reacted (or didn’t) to the BLM movement and the role social media played in bringing up questions of representation in cultural institutions. Together they reflect on not knowing exactly what the future holds and being ok with it, on allowing yourself to fail and standing up for what you believe in.

As part of the alternative programme of the Swiss Design Awards 2020, the two Federal Commission Presidents Jörg Boner (Design Commission, product designer) and Raffael Dörig (Art Commission, Head of Kunsthaus Langenthal) meet to discuss the current crisis and its significance in the two scenes. The exchange will be complemented by the experience of Regine Helbling (Board member Suisseculture Sociale, Managing Director Visarte), moderated by Susanna Koeberle (cultural journalist). There will be a discussion on the acceptance of the professions of art and design practitioners and the role of the commissions, which are already over a hundred years old.

The winners of the Swiss Grand Award for Design 2020, Kueng Caputo, were given carte blanche for their discussion partner in the thematic week of the Swiss Design Awards 2020. They chose the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, whose work they have admired for years. Together they talk about design processes, lost craftsmanship, landscapes, spaces and sounds. They discuss what happens if you fail and how hard it is to design people-friendly spaces.