Empire bookcase, design Alfredo Häberli

Are they symmetrical?

The Empire bookcases are designed by Swiss / Argentinian designer Alfredo Häberli and among the most iconic pieces in our collection.

As a bookcase it has been described as a 'furniture sculpture’. Or meeting with a French journalist from renowned French magazine Le Figaro, it was characterized as 'design pur'. Empire has been exhibited, amongst others, in the Museum fur Gestaltung in Zurich and the “Kölnisches Kunstverein” (museum in Cologne). It has been published worldwide in magazines and art books.

Besides being beautiful, this bookcase is also very practical, because books of several sizes can ‘lean comfortably’ against the skew side walls. And of course, it is a wonderful way to show some of your favorite objects.

Many people ask us 'is it symmetrical'? No, it is not, but placing 2 next to each other, maybe in different colors is a graphical joy for the eye.

Empire bookcases are made of 21 different panels of lacquered MDF (='medium density fibreboard'), all with different angles. It is made in small series and requires a lot of craftmanship. The lacquer has a textured finish, see the detailed images.

Our collection is designed by an international team of top designers – Nendo, Barber Osgerby, Alfredo Häberli, Marcel Wanders, Sylvain Willenz – so our furniture objects find their way all over the globe. Let us know if you are interested!