Philosophy
Welcome! We are Oliver and Wu, a design duo from Zurich. Together, we explore the intersection between nature and design from the perspective of our different cultures.
About us
Oliver Hischier grew up in Brig, surrounded by the Valais Alps. Xiaoqun Wu comes from Shanghai, one of the world's largest metropolises – she only discovered the beauty of untouched landscapes when she moved to Switzerland at the age of twelve. This contrast led to our leitmotif: nature is not equally accessible to everyone. We want to bring its beauty to where it is missing – and inspire and sensitise people to it.
We met at the F+F School of Art and Design in Zurich; in 2019, we jointly completed a Master's degree in Design at the Bern University of the Arts. On our research trips, we are inspired by natural phenomena, myths, and traditions, viewing them from both Western and Asian perspectives. This results in work full of tension: analytical in its approach, poetically subtle in its visual language.
Biophilic Design
We live in a world where a connection to nature has become the exception for many. Yet, the need for it is deeply rooted—biologically, emotionally, culturally. Surrounded by natural elements, we are healthier, calmer, and more attentive. We dedicate our work to this need.
Our design products bring nature into spaces where it is missing. Not as decoration, but as a distillation of observation and meaning: mineral veins, leaf structures, traces in wood, sediments that tell stories of time. We translate these phenomena into precise graphic systems—subtle, yet consistent.
Many of our ideas don't originate on a computer, but outdoors: while collecting, photographing, observing closely. On the beach, in the mountains, in the forest. We are interested in phenomena that are easily overlooked—a piece of deadwood, a stone with a perfect hole. Design can be a magnifying glass in this context: those who see nature translated into graphics suddenly perceive shapes, structures, and proportions more consciously.
Our prints are not mere reproductions. They are small concentrations of attention, material knowledge, and wonder.
Exhibitions, Awards & Workshops
Our exhibitions in Europe, North America, and Asia have allowed us to discover and get to know foreign nature and culture. We are delighted to exhibit our projects and, in doing so, meet different people and learn their stories.
2025
- Museum für Gestaltung Zürich "Beautiful, Rare, Unique"
2024
- QWSTION Store, Zurich, Switzerland
- Quan Er Gallery, Shanghai, China
- "Asian Roots" by Kim Dang at Opia, Zurich, Switzerland
- Traveling Exhibition: Dear2050 "Entangled Forests" at Kornhausforum Bern, Zeughaus Uster, Forum de l’hôtel de Ville Lausanne, Chrämerhuus Langenthal, Switzerland
2023
- Swiss Design Awards, Basel, Switzerland
- PapierLabo, Tokyo, Japan
- Art Book Fair P.A.G.E.S., Geneva, Switzerland