Welcome
We are Xiaoqun Wu and Oliver Hischier, a design duo from Zurich. Together, we explore the intersection of nature and design, shaped by our different cultural backgrounds.
Oliver Hischier grew up in Brig, surrounded by the Valais Alps. Xiaoqun Wu comes from Shanghai, one of the largest metropolises in the world. She only discovered the beauty of unspoiled landscapes when she moved to Switzerland at the age of twelve. These different experiences gave rise to our guiding theme: nature is not equally accessible to everyone. Through our work, we want to bring its beauty into everyday life and invite people to become more consciously aware of nature.
We met at the F+F School of Art and Design in Zurich. In 2019, we graduated together with a Master’s degree in Design from the Bern University of the Arts. On our research journeys, we draw inspiration from natural phenomena, myths, and traditions. In doing so, we combine different cultural perspectives with a curious, design-oriented approach. This results in work that is analytical in its research and poetic and subtle in its visual language.
Our philosophy: Biophilic Design
We transform nature into visual culture. Nature is full of forms, structures, and stories that fill us with wonder when we take the time to discover them. It fascinates us with its diversity, its surprising connections, and its own unique aesthetic. At the same time, our connection to nature is a deeply rooted human need. It influences our well-being: we find peace, feel better, and can concentrate more effectively.
At Bienvenue Studios, we explore natural phenomena and make their unique qualities visible. Minerals hidden deep within mountains. Leaf structures that look as if they were drawn by hand. Traces in wood that tell stories of growth and time. Or stones shaped by water over millennia. We are interested in the details that are easily overlooked and the stories hidden behind them. We collect, photograph, and research, viewing nature from scientific, cultural, and design perspectives.
From these discoveries, we develop a distinctive visual language. We translate natural forms and structures into prints and design objects that offer new perspectives and make the beauty of nature tangible in unusual ways. Our design combines precise observation with cultural significance and a poetic, subtle visual language.
Our approach is biophilic design: we bring nature into the spaces where people live and work. This creates visual connections to the natural world that enrich our surroundings, sharpen our perception, and promote well-being. We want to inspire people to look more closely and to rediscover nature in everyday life.
Team
Our team has been growing for a few years now. Ursina Wirz has been supporting us in PR and communications since 2022, and Holger Böser has been with us since 2025 in social media and content marketing.
Awards
2025
- Pro Helvetia Work Grants for Design
2023
- Nomination for the Swiss Design Awards, category Graphic Design
- The Best 2023 awarded by Hochparterre: Nominated in the Design category with «Into Mountains: Wear your Mirror» scenography for the Musée des Beaux-Arts Le Locle
2022
- Work deemed «Excellent Work» and selected for the
- Tokyo TDC Annual Awards
- The Best 2022 awarded by Hochparterre: Nominated in the Design category with «Virtues of Wood», edition of Risography prints with wooden frames
2021
- Pro Helvetia Work Grants for Design
- TALENT AWARD 2021: MBAL Triennial of Contemporary Prints
- Swiss Print Award, nominated in the «Printed Matters» category
2020
- Design Days 2020, selected exhibitors
Residencies
2024
- Design Preis Schweiz: Design Retreat im Sutra House Basel für Circular Design, Innovation and healthy Workflow, Basel, Schweiz
2023
- 7132 Hotels für Silver Gastronomie, Vals, Schweiz
- Ding Studio für Bonsai-projekt, Suzhou, China
Workshops and Lectures
2025
Museum für Gestaltung, Zürich: Design Lounge Talk
Kreativgesellschaft Metropolregion Basel: Introductory Lecture
2024
Studio Visit: F+F School of Art and Design, Zürich, Switzerland
Design Talk: Hyper Normal – Inclusion for Young Creatives, Zürich, Switzerland
2023
Design Talk: Into Mountains, Bienvenue Studios at Bananafish Books in Shanghai, China
2019
Design Talk: Design Process of Bienvenue Studios at 23 Lab in Hangzhou, China.
Design Talk: Design Process of Bienvenue Studios. Studio Visit by the Graphic Design Master Class of the F+F School of Art and Design in Zürich, Switzerland
2018
Design Talk & Workshop: “Design Company” at the Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland
2017
Three-Day Workshop: “Thinking in Series” at Book/Shop in Oakland CA, USA
Studio Visit by the International Design Master Class of the FHNW Academy of Art and Design.
2016
Design Talk: Design Process of Bienvenue Studios. F+F School of Art and Design in Zürich, Switzerland