More beautiful, smarter, more accessible: design that inspires everyone

Pia Seidel

9.10.2025

Translation: machine translated

Pictures: Pia Seidel

During Zurich Design Weeks 2025, one topic took centre stage: inclusive design. Swiss projects showed how function and aesthetics come together to break down barriers.

Fashion for everyone? Sure, that should be standard by now. But what about everyday objects? This is exactly where the «Design Prize Switzerland» comes in. In the new category «Inclusive Design», the focus was on products that make life easier - and more visually appealing - for people with spinal cord injury.

The special thing: The designs were evaluated directly by those affected. The best ideas were then presented to the Innovation Board of the Swiss Paraplegic Foundation (SPF) for further development. You could see some of the highlights live during the Zurich Design Weeks (ZDW) at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich.

Functional and yet stylish

«Design is not something aloof or elitist - it means solving problems», says Uli Kössl, juror and expert for inclusive design. And that's exactly what it's all about: Creating products that are not only practical, but also look good. Kössl puts it in a nutshell: «People with spinal cord injury have just as much of an appreciation for beauty as pedestrians.»

The new category aims to promote creative ideas that don't just work for people in wheelchairs. They should also help other user groups. These three examples show what this can look like:

Venira: jewellery that helps

«Venira» by Sinah-Moana Mainardi is more than just an accessory. Three silver rings with rubber tips make it easier to operate touchscreens and keyboards. Useful, but still chic.

SollSo: glasses that think for themselves

The glass set «Sollso»looks good and is cleverly designed. Wine and water glasses as well as a container for cleaning balls have been specially developed for people with physical disabilities. A ball in the upper third ensures a better grip, while the wide base provides stability. And thanks to optional colour accents, it also fits perfectly on any dining table.

Ensemble: tools that people like to show off

The collection «Ensemble» by Dan Mandel shows that accessories don't have to look the part. «Grip» is a flexible gripping aid that holds cutlery or pens securely in the hand - and looks modern at the same time. «Ni-ni» is a cup with a suction channel that makes drinking easier without looking like a classic accessory.

Conclusion: design for everyone

These products prove it: Inclusion goes beyond accessibility. It's also about making the world a little more beautiful for everyone.

Pia Seidel

Senior Editor

Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.ch

Like a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.

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