Trix & Robert Haussmann

Trix (1933–) and Robert (1931–2021) Haussmann are regarded as the most important partnership in Swiss design and architecture of the second half of the twentieth century. Through their projects, they were among the key figures in the transition from the austere Swiss design culture rooted in Bauhaus principles to the more expressive and imaginative forms of Postmodernism. They described their distinctive approach as “critical mannerism,” blending traditional elements with more contemporary ones and infusing them with frequent touches of irony and optical illusion. For decades, they shared both life and work, intertwining their respective inspirations from their first meeting at the 1964 Expo onward. Prior to this, Robert Haussmann had studied under Gerrit Thomas Rietveld in Amsterdam and later completed his education in Zurich, the city where their studio would be based for many years. Trix—born Högl—studied architecture under Werner Max Moser at ETH Zurich, an institution where she would later hold a professorship in architecture until 2002. Among their most notable projects are the renovation of Zurich’s main railway station (1979–80) and the Galleria shopping center in Hamburg. Active also in the field of product design, they collaborated with brands such as Walter Knoll, De Sede, Laurameroni, and Draenert. Among their best-known products is a series of sofas and armchairs with mirrored side panels, designed in the late 1980s for Knoll International and no longer in production.