Getting Creative: The Vitra Design Campus & Museum

Autumn is here with its cooler temperatures, clear blue skies and a rhapsody of colored foliage. But let’s be honest – autumn in Switzerland is also characterized by grey skies, fog and rain. On those dreary days you can grab your kids and head to the Vitra Design Museum and Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany!

The architecturally breathtaking complex of buildings, known as the Vitra Campus, is located just across the Rhein, west of Basel, in the village of Weil am Rhein. It consists of: the Vitra Design Museum (designed by the American architect Frank Gehry and housing temporary exhibits), the Vitra Gallery, which houses experimental projects, the Vitra House (the flagship store), designed by the famous Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron, the Vitra Slide Tower – which my children loved – and my personal favorite, the Vitra Fire Station, designed by Zaha Hadid (the first woman to win the coveted Pitzker Prize for architecture).

We spent an entire day at the complex on a rainy summer day. And my teenagers did not want to leave! Anyone who has teenage boys must, upon hearing that, realize that the Vitra Campus has to be a very special place, and it is. Giant metal chairs suspended like hammocks are located outside the Vitra Design Museum. We all had to agree that swinging on these chairs felt effortless and more comfortable than anything we have yet experienced. The exhibits, both permanent and temporary, were not only informative and visually beautiful but also tactilely stimulating and inspirational. My children loved the fact that they could experience objects by touching, sitting, and even jumping on them in some cases. They could rotate, invert and roll other objects and really determine how they worked. My oldest son was fascinated by a chair known as the 360-degree chair, designed by the industrial designer Konstantin Grcic, because one can sit on it in many different ways and it rotates at its base – you guessed it – 360 degrees.

My youngest son was thrilled to read all the information about social media and smart home designs of future cities. He was also impressed by the descriptions of the organic communities of the future. Both boys are looking forward to a return trip to view the next temporary exhibitions, starting in October. There is truly something for everyone at this center.

My husband enjoyed the complex as well (which is unusual), especially the flagship store, the Vitra House, which contains both classic and contemporary furniture design (and other objects like glassware). You can “shop” in this building or, as my husband did, view the hand production of the Eames lounge chair, a famous 1950s chair designed by Charles and Ray Eames for the Miller Furniture Company, which can also be seen in New York at the Museum of Modern Art. If you have young children they are certain to enjoy a young child’s world complete with giant Lego pieces. Be sure to walk to the Vitra Slide Tower located on the complex grounds. It is whimsical and intriguing to view and (pleasantly) exhausting to climb (if it is open).

Two temporary exhibits can be seen in October: Alvaro Siza and The Alhambra Project-by the Spanish contemporary architect can be viewed until October 12^th 2014. Alvar Aalto, an exhibition about the Finnish architect, designer, sculptor and painter who is most famous for his design of glassware and the Alto Vase, starts on September 27^th.

I would suggest you plan at least half a day for this complex and take a two-hour long architecture tour if possible. In any case all information is in both German and English.

There is a café/restaurant but it was totally booked during our visit so we drove to the village where we found a pizzeria. I would suggest that you call ahead and reserve a table for a meal if you do not wish to picnic or travel to the village. Telephone: +49 (0)621-702-3501 or email: café.vitrahaus@vitra.com

Opening times are Monday through Sunday from 10:00-18:00.

Entrance is €10 per person or €8 for those qualifying for a reduced price.

Tours are available several times a day in German and English, and you can purchase a combination ticket (entrance plus tour) for €18. Children under the age of 12 are free.

Directions are provided on the visitor information page of the website.

All other information about the complex and the museum can be accessed through the  Vitrahaus website and the Vitra Design Museum website

By Dr Teresa Bingham Müller

Teresa is an earth scientist and instructor by education and an avid traveler and adventurer by nature. She has three boys ages 32, 19 and 16.

Illustration by Lara Friedrich

Lara has been a freelance illustrator for Mothering Matters since early 2013. She is a demo singer for the songwriter Kate Northrop and has also written an article for the newspaper March Anzeiger. Lara is bilingual in English and German with a Cambridge Advanced Certificate in English. Recently she has started her first year at university.