For reasons that are temporarily top-secret, I was around the German-Swiss-French border two weekends ago and discovered the headquarters of Vitra, the Swiss-German manufacturer of visionary furniture and object design. The manufacturing facilities are designed by the likes of Tadao Ando and Zaha Hadid. And then there’s the newest addition, which opened three days before I visited: the Design Haus, by Herzog and De Meuron. It consists of several stacked forms that look like cartoon houses. The windows are maybe 30 feet high, with sweeping views of vineyards, and a trove of modernist delights inside.

The exterior

Noguchi paper lanterns, a personal favorite.

My first encounter with a geodesic dome since Epcot, 1990.

Psychedelic textiles in every corner.

Verner Panton's Living Tower, 1969.

My favorite of Alexander Girard's whimsical painted dolls.

A history of the Eames chair.

A portrait of the Eamses beside a Utensilo. I have one in white--my prized possession.

grooviness

Built-in benches and cantilevers galore. The entire outside area smelled of fresh cedar.