Willi Fehlbaum first founded the company in 1934 as a shop-fitting firm. The Vitra project was launched in 1957. Since then, a passionate and pioneering spirit has presided over the development of furniture in general and chairs in particular in Birsfelden, in collaboration with independent designers. In 1977, Rolf Fehlbaum took over the direction of his father’s company, developing it into one of Europe’s leading furniture outfits. From 1984 to late 1998, Hanns-Peter Cohn worked as Head of Marketing and Distribution on the Vitra project. He left in 1998 to steer the crisis-ridden camera manufacturer Leica onto a more stable path as its CEO. The company’s stabilisation was achieved amongst others by a joint venture with Panasonic and a partnership with Hermès, Paris as its main shareholder. In 2005, Hanns-Peter Cohn came back to Vitra as its CEO, while Rolf Fehlbaum became Chairman of the Board of Directors. After a major fire in 1981, Vitra turned to handling its own architecture with great deliberation. The company mandated British architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw with the building’s reconstruction and the development of a master plan for the grounds. The related discourse triggered a new architectural concept: different, though by no means arbitrary architectures were to meet and bestow upon the site the characteristics of vitality and distinctiveness. Next to Sir Grimshaw, other renowned architects such as Frank O. Gehry, Tadao Ando, Zaha Hadid and Alvaro Siza thus realised important designs. The unique density and quality of the buildings gathered here on a small area is the reason the company grounds have turned into a Mecca for architecture and design lovers worldwide over the past 15 years. Vitra is one of the pioneers in successfully celebrating branding through architecture and design at the highest level, inside the company as well as at the interface with the outside world. >>> more Vitra Vitra Design Museum Valid as of: 27.5.2008
