Vitra Anatomy of a Design Company

The in-depth story of one of the world’s most innovative and influential design companies

In the recent history of contemporary design and architecture, no company has had more influence than Vitra. From the 1950s to the present day, Vitra has worked with succeeding generations of designers – from Ray and Charles Eames to Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid, to Ron Arad, Jasper Morrison, and Virgil Abloh. With its forward-thinking approach, Vitra has defined and shaped the way that we live and work.

Written by Deyan Sudjic in close collaboration with Rolf Fehlbaum who led the company for more than 30 years, Vitra: The Anatomy of a Design Company, tells the story of the three generations behind Vitra. Driven by a sense of cultural and social mission, Vitra has had a major influence on every aspect of contemporary design, from architecture to graphics, photography, product design, and the landscape.

It has shaped our understanding of such major figures as Jean Prouvé and Verner Panton. It has encouraged designers at the start of their careers including Jasper Morrison and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec. It has safeguarded the archives of such key figures as Luis Barragan and Alexander Girard, and built one of the world’s most important design museums.

The book also features inserts written by design consultant and writer Karen Stein, as well as a photographic essay by acclaimed architectural photographer Iwan Baan.

Spanning more than 450 pages and over 400 illustrations, this substantial volume covers Vitra’s working relationship with designers, the rich architectural heritage of the Vitra Campus, with buildings by Tadao Ando, Herzog & de Meuron, and Alvaro Siza. It provides an essential account of contemporary design history, offers a unique insight into the role of design in business, and documents the nature of a design process that results in successful products.