Design-Strategy Innovation Lab
Where Form Meets Intelligence
Unit operates at the intersection of modular furniture design, spatial psychology, and strategic thinking. We are not merely manufacturers - we are a research-driven laboratory investigating how systematic design principles can produce environments that adapt, evolve, and enhance human activity.
Rooted in Swiss precision and minimalist clarity, Unit translates architectural logic into tangible, functional ecosystems. Every system we develop embodies a philosophy: spaces should serve their occupants with intelligence, not dictate behavior through rigidity.
"Architectural in structure, editorial in tone, timeless in form - where modular logic becomes intelligent design."
One Building, Two Practices
Production on the ground floor, research above it, with the same people moving between the two.
Elsaesserstrasse 42 - the Unit workshop, laboratory and office under one roof
Dual Identity: Product Meets Research
Product-Driven
We design and produce modular furniture ecosystems for architecture firms, creative studios, and institutional clients. Each system is engineered with Swiss precision, fabricated from sustainable materials, and designed for decades of reconfiguration.
Research-Driven
Simultaneously, Unit functions as an experimental laboratory. We investigate materiality, spatial psychology, digital fabrication techniques, and parametric design. This research directly informs product development, ensuring our systems remain at the forefront of spatial innovation.
Studio Overview
What a Tolerance Buys You
Unit components are held to a 0.2mm tolerance across the whole range. That number is not vanity. It is what lets a desk bought in 2016 still bolt cleanly to a divider made this year.
Every joint in the system uses the same two fixings, so a caretaker with a single hex key can take a floor apart and rebuild it differently on a Friday afternoon.
The result is furniture that behaves like architecture: slow to date, quick to change.
Based in Basel, Operating Globally
Unit's laboratory and manufacturing facility are located in Basel, Switzerland - a city with deep roots in modernist design, precision engineering, and architectural innovation. This geographic and cultural context informs our design philosophy and production standards.
While we maintain Swiss manufacturing precision, our systems deploy internationally. We collaborate with architecture firms across Europe, cultural institutions in North America, and forward-thinking organizations worldwide. Unit systems adapt to local contexts while maintaining universal design intelligence.
Explore Collaboration Possibilities
Whether you represent an architecture firm seeking workspace systems, an institution requiring exhibition infrastructure, or a brand exploring spatial strategy - Unit welcomes inquiries.
