My month in Moscow was inspiring and motivating. Above all, I liked the positive, open and dynamic atmosphere of various actors, who all agree that a lot still has to be done – but a lot can be done.
There is still room here for ideas and initiatives, but there is also a massive backlog: urban planning is chaotic, road traffic is a disaster, accessibility a foreign word, the building fabric is largely dilapidated, product culture neglected. And this is precisely where the opportunity is recognised.
In Russia there is no tradition of small or medium-sized production companies such as those in Italy or Switzerland – often family businesses that have accumulated knowledge and expertise for generations and are constantly developing. The production culture is based on gigantic – and often not very economic – former state-owned enterprises, which have either been closed down in the meantime or continue to operate as large corporations. This requires initiative and new structures, especially in product design, and leads to many small, self-producing labels.
A lively and rapidly growing metropolis like Moscow does not sink into post-Soviet whining. I was impressed by the great commitment of those involved and the targeted use and development of synergies: all projects refer to the common, connecting and mutually fertilizing elements, without conservative thinking in cultural sectors. In Moscow most of my meetings ended with the honest offer that cooperation and ideas are more than welcome. And it is precisely from this openness that we can learn in saturated Switzerland.
In Moscow I became aware of how much our own product heritage shapes us – forms, colours, patterns, materials and combinations of these have accompanied us since childhood. Constructivist but also folkloric elements are repeatedly quoted in contemporary Russian design. In Switzerland, too, we call on references from our own design history.
I realise that challenges also mean opportunities. Synergies and networks are essential, especially in the field of culture. Antiquated thinking in branches prevents the creation of contemporary and meaningful culture. An open and honest exchange is the basis of a desirable future.