Setting the stage for Swiss architects and designers
The research project SAFFA 1958, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), examines the second Swiss Exhibition for Women’s Work considering the history of architecture, urban planning and design.
In 1958, numerous pavilions, tent structures and model buildings were erected on the lakeside of Zurich for the second Swiss Exhibition for Women’s Work (SAFFA 58). The exhibition provided an impressive overview of women’s creative and artistic endeavours in post-war Switzerland. Some of the participants were well-known figures in the world of art and business. For most of them, however, SAFFA 58 represented a rare opportunity to showcase their work to a larger audience, which is underlined by a wealth of documents that have hardly been explored before. These documents have now been analysed through archival research in both public and private collections. The research was conducted by Eliana Perotti of the Institute of Urban Landscape and her team of female historians specialised in art and architectural history.
Shining a light on the designers’ work
In their investigation, the researchers delved into aspects of architecture, urban planning and design history, exploring both the overall planning of SAFFA 58 and its exhibition design. In doing so, they also compiled the biographies of the participants. This shed light on the achievements of female architects and designers from Switzerland who were active in the post-war period, acknowledging their rightful place in Swiss cultural history. Furthermore, the project carried out by the Institute of Urban Landscape, which is affiliated to the ZHAW School of Architecture, Design and Civil Engineering, places the SAFFA 58 exhibition within the context of national and international exhibition work of its time. A publication on this topic will be released by Scheidegger & Spiess in 2024.