Products Alive
Philippe Cramer's Exploration Lives Beyond Design
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F
or New-York-born, Swiss-bred designer, Philippe Cramer, a product’s interest goes far beyond the design of the product itself. This view is most likely how he ended up designing more than furniture and lamps.
“I started out with furniture design then branched out in home accessories – porcelain, silverware, lighting, glass and candles,” said Cramer. “As a typical product designer, I really started being interested in the product itself and then opened my eyes to the environment in which this product lives.”
Cramer grew up in Switzerland but returned to his birthplace to earn a degree in Applied Arts from Parson’s in NYC. He then worked as a designer in the product development department at Museum of Modern Art’s (MoMA) design store, after which he returned to Switzerland to work for a design company in Geneva. In 1998, he founded Cramer + Cramer and launched his own showroom. His products were impressive enough for America to want him back – or at least want his products – and they got their wish in the form of the “Philippe Cramer Collection,” which launched in America in 2003. His minimalist influences show through in pieces like the “Baar” stool, meticulously hand-carved to a smooth perfection out of oak and walnut. His Swiss influences come through in designs like the towering walnut lamp “Eiger,” named after the infamous mountain face that towers over the Jungfrau region in the Alps.
The combination of his international influence and training, and his desire to explore where his products come to life, led Cramer to design one of Geneva’s first boutique design hotels, La Cour des Augustins. The existing building presented some challenges as Geneva law does not allow certain sorts of architectural transformations. Luckily some of the technical hurdles had been overcome when a few decades ago the two original apartment buildings were transformed into a hotel – one that was in very poor condition when handed over to Cramer in 2006. Like Ciompi, Cramer was faced with the challenge of successfully transitioning an antiquated space into something more modern.
“We had to rethink the whole layout so that the hotel would have a contemporary feel while still being respectful of its past,” said Cramer. “As usual, the main challenges were incorporating modern amenities without them showing too much; large bathrooms, elevators, etc. The name of the hotel comes from a small and charming square that is just nearby. It embodies all the nice aspects of Geneva’s second nature: relaxed and laid back (the first being as the most international of the small cities).”
Cramer is currently working on custom furniture for a five-star hotel in Geneva, which he is excited about as he enjoys watching his products live in a new environment: hotels.
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