Timeless Design for Life – USM
A single product that has barely changed in half a century, made by a family-owned company based in a small town in Switzerland, may not sound much like the description of a global design phenomenon. Yet this is the surprising story of USM, the world-renowned modular furniture company that has gone from strength to strength and whose products have been used to equally unexpected and exciting effect by leading local architects and designers.
Designers and consumers alike are drawn to the USM Haller system, that manages to be by turns both understated and bold, utilitarian and flamboyant. The inherent sense of personality that can be injected into the modular framework, explains interior designer Kerry Phelan of K.P.D.O., “is testament to something being so well designed in the first place that it hasn’t been tampered with since. It’s completely flexible in every possible way and, of course, the colours area joy for us to work with.”
Indeed, colour is one mechanism proponents of USM have at their disposal to give the shelving system a custom, project-specific emphasis that catches the eye. For Fiona Lynch, the array of colours combined withthe timeless framework has been key to USM featuring across so many of her studio’s projects. “USM was really before its time. The colour palette is wonderful and the framework in polished metal adds a high-quality detail – to have options to customise for our clients means we can help solve their storage [problems].”
The modular nature of USM’s Haller system allows its owner to sculpt it over time, meaning that the same piece can service multiple needs in multiple rooms or houses across its lifetime. For Tobias Partners’ Nick Tobias, the real appeal of the modular unit lies in just how early his firm can bring it into their thinking about a project. “We’ve always been architects and interior designers. The beautiful thing about USM is that it sits on the edge between furniture and joinery, meaning it comes up very early in the design process. It lets us think about it in unconventional ways – as a room divider, a bookshelf or balustrade.”
As a dual Australian-Swiss citizen, Nick understands the cultural impact USM has had on the Swiss community more than most and, having travelled to Switzerland extensively throughout his life, has witnessed up close the seemingly limitless applications of USM throughout the home. “So many homes in Switzerland have USM in them in one form or another –whether it’s a bedside table, a size table or a credenza. Parents will gift it to children when they move out and allow them to build upon it as they grow and start families of their own.”
Such reverence is difficult to achieve, but as Nick explains, “USM stands for tradition, longevity and purity. It’s clear USM just wants to do one thing over and over again, as well as it can possibly be done.” It is a sentiment that is shared by Fiona Lynch, who suggests that “USM is a practical storage solution, however, the units are beautifully designed objects in themselves that should be celebrated and enjoyed.”
“USM stands for tradition, longevity and purity. It’s clear USM just wants to do one thing over and over again, as well as it can possibly be done.”
With a broader design movement encouraging us to slow down, consider our purchases and collect stories alongside them, few household items are as well-placed to service this demand as USM and the Haller system. As at home in a monochromatic den or pop-coloured penthouse, USM offers a well-crafted, architectural solution for spaces grand or small.
