luiz albisser repurposes fair material for wall devices & furniture at art basel

redesigning public areas of art basel’s unlimited exhibition space

For the 2024 edition of Art Basel, Studio Luiz Albisser, in collaboration with Office Luis Bischoff, launches a collection of modular furniture and wall devices made of repurposed materials and custom elements. The approach speaks to the event’s temporality by experimenting with new aesthetics of responsible material sourcing. The brief critically rethinks the public areas of the Unlimited exhibition space in Hall 1, and presents for the first time a dedicated Art Basel Shop, along with the Magazines Sector, the Conversations Auditorium, a restaurant, a café, and lounge areas. Unlimited is Art Basel’s exhibition platform that provides space for large pieces and event-based works, where Albisser and Bischoff created a series of interconnecting areas that transition between different fair sectors and experiences.

all images © Dominik Hodel

repurposing fair material for furniture, shelving, and more

With subtle thresholds, the design encourages visitor fluidity and a deliberate yet spontaneous engagement with exhibited content. Embracing the existing stage topography, the Conversations Auditorium is open on two sides, inviting circulation and offering access to the café or talks from multiple angles, with multimedia displays active outside scheduled events. Luiz Albisser (see more here) and Office Luis Bischoff (more here) define the layout with a toolkit of flexible design elements, each with a distinct function. Shelving, display systems, mirrors, seating, lighting, and signage are anchored in repurposed wall structures from Unlimited’s extensive inventory, transforming existing white walls into versatile devices with adaptable configurations. The self-standing elements go beyond mere partition walls; they become scenographic elements with varying levels of permeability, contributing to the perception of the public areas as a cohesive whole.

Ddsplay tables and public benches made from aluminum structural panels

Luiz Albisser and Office Luis Bischoff’s take on circularity

Recycled and recyclable modular furniture pieces populate the spaces, sparking conversations on the potentials of material circularity and reuse: ‘Our ongoing collaboration with Art Basel continually urges us to explore innovative and sustainable design approaches, especially within the context of temporary events,’ states Luiz Albisser. He continues, ‘What elements can be borrowed or reused? How can we minimize new production? These questions guide our quest for materials, considering available options from outside of the architecture industry. Within Basel’s harbor, where our office is based, we’re surrounded by a rich array of industrial elements, each with its unique scale and aesthetic. This environment prompted us to recontext- ualize certain objects and explore their potential as furniture.’

scenographic elements with varying levels of permeability

Display tables and public benches are made from large-scale aluminum structural panels borrowed from the automotive and aviation industries. Designed for multiple arrangements and functions, their original scale and texture make the source material explicit and emphasize the gestures of reuse and recontextualization. Unique pieces are assembled through a collage-like process of remixing the fair’s inventory of excess and leftover material with new elements created from waste products of nearby manufacturers. Collectively, these pieces at Art Basel serve as manifestos, urging the exploration of innovative design solutions inspired by the potential of resource stewardship, particularly in the context of temporary events.

shelving, display systems, mirrors, and signage are anchored in repurposed wall structures