Relying on the school’s multidisciplinary strength the project involved master students, assistants and professors as well as young graduates in the fields product design, fine arts, photography and interaction design to explore the possibilities offered by glass as a material in different contexts, from the engineer’s laboratory to the artist’s workshop.

The results include contributions by Ronan Bouroullec, Cyril Porchet, Mathieu Rivier, Pauline Saglio, Augustin Scott de Martinville, Brynjar Sigurðarson and Baker Wardlaw, in collaborations with glass experts such as Matteo Gonet or the CIAV Meisenthal. The aim of the project was not only to research the material from a designer’s point of view, but also to establish a case study of what design research could be in the context of a university.

With a scenography created by French designer Camille Blin, the exhibition showcases more than 300 pieces resulting from the project. This event is accompanied by the launch of a dedicated website to browse the comprehensive database (heartofglass.ch) as well as a publication.