A quick glance at the oeuvre of Alfredo Häberli reveals a world of contrasts, for his designs frequently express opposing sensibilities-hard and soft, curvaceous and linear, encompassing and exclusionary.

Solitaire Easy Chair for Offecct

While this may be partially attributable to a change in scenery and consequent contrasting aesthetic (born in Buenos Aires, Häberli moved to Switzerland at age 13), it's more likely due to a proclivity for opposition, as with the juxtaposition of extruded aluminum, steel, glass, methacrylate, and wood in the SEC Shelf System.

SEC Shelf System for Alias

Häberli has been said to celebrate both tradition and innovation, a confluence of qualities that perhaps has origins in the European/Latino dichotomy, but also evinces a comprehensive intellect and aesthetic-the desire to simultaneously express two opposing propositions.

Carrara Floor Lamp for Luceplan

Take the De Sede DS 480 Sofa for instance. For this piece, Häberli says he "didn't want to design a machine but create something elegant and functional." While DS 480 may evoke the mechanical, it also expresses an organic functionality-the union of bird or butterfly or dragonfly and sofa into a form that does multiple duties as an armchair, lounger, and recliner.

DS 480 Sofa for de Sede

Taking a Line for a Walk celebrates Paul Klee's whimsical prescription for creating art while also exploring a pronounced interplay between hard geometricity and soft curvilinear shapes. The lounge chair's accommodating interior welcomes all manner of relaxing postural dynamics, while its hard-edged exterior expresses this interplay of contrasts.

Taking a Line For A Walk for Moroso

Häberli 's April Tables for Finnish brand Nikari recall the esteemed history of bent wood creation in that country. The tables also celebrate an intriguing juxtaposition-"the contrast between the massive socket and the suspended thin table surface."

April Tables for Nikari

Parador's Floor Fields delves into the world of computer-generated design, only to ultimately reject graphical creation for a more organic parturition. In a process of multiple iteration, Häberli created his own graphic structure through trial and error, an achievement that “involved not thinking but simply going with the flow, observing and continuing with the work... the results were structure pictures that served as a basis for geometric graphics."

Floor Fields for Parador

Alfredo Häberli is extraordinarily prolific. He releases new pieces annually (his Dado Sofa for Andreu World just took home NeoCon Gold). During the last 16 years, he has shown in multiple exhibitions across Europe and been the recipient of various honors, including Designer of the Year (2009) and Swiss Grand Prix of Design (2014). He has worked with the world's most renowned furniture manufacturers, including Fredericia, Kvadrat, Alias, Moroso, BD Barcelona, Luceplan, and Vitra.

Dado Sofa for Andreu World

Häberli lives and works in Zurich. For more information, see Alfredo Häberli.