USM creative since 1965
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the modular icon by Fritz Haller & Paul Schärer, Switzerland

Creative since 1965 USM – the modular icon by Fritz Haller and Paul Schärer, Switzerland An architect, an engineer and a vision. A furniture system inspired by architecture – balls, steel tubes, colourful metal panels. Clear forms, new aesthetics and the highest functionality. A concept that began almost 60 years ago continues to inspire today. USM Haller has achieved cult status as the epitome of timeless design; it opens up possibilities, excites creative minds – and enhances any environment. An icon of modern design, USM Haller has been on display at the MoMA in New York since 2001 and...

Introduction USM takes its initials from its founder, Ulrich Schärer and his birthplace of Münsingen, a Swiss village just outside Bern. He founded USM in 1885 as a small, family-run, metalworking firm. In 1920, Ulrich Schärer’s offspring took over the business and started manufacturing espagnolette window fittings. The company expanded rapidly and by the end of the 1940s, it specialised in manufacturing ornamental hinges for the construction industry and in machining sheet steel. 1 Second USM catalogue, 1912 2–4 The workshop in Münsingen where espagnolette window fittings were...

Paul Schärer Jr. It was Paul Schärer Jr. (1933–2011), the grandson of the company’s founder, who steered USM into the modern world. Having graduated with a degree in engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETHZ), he joined the family business in 1961, determined to industrialise it. His passionate interest in architecture and design, as well as his great admiration for the work of Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, led him to commission Fritz Haller, an innovative Swiss architect whose designs he also admired, to design a new type of flexible factory that...

Two visionaries, one idea Once the new USM factory had opened for business, Paul Schärer Jr. realised that the only furniture available for his offices were traditional wooden pieces, far from the functionalist aesthetic of the glass-and-steel buildings. Fritz Haller therefore suggested designing a furniture range based on his modular architecture. In 1962, Haller and Schärer began to develop the USM Haller modular furniture system. Rather than producing furniture pieces, they jointly perfected a furniture system based on three key elements: chrome-plated steel tubes joined by ingenious...

The new generation Alexander Schärer, the son of Paul Schärer Jr., became the fourth generation of the Schärer family to run USM. Born in 1965, the year in which the USM Haller system was launched, he grew up in the Buchli, the Fritz Hallerdesigned steel-and-glass house a stone’s throw from the USM factory. Architecture, design and manufacturing were integral parts of his day-to-day life. He followed in his father’s footsteps and studied engineering, graduating with a degree from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. He then studied management and worked at Procter &...

An essential design Paul Schärer Jr. and Fritz Haller’s invention is based on the highest level of functionality. The chrome-plated steel tubes, sheet-steel panels and ball joints that connect them are all visible components of the furniture system and integral parts of its design. “Form follows function”, proclaimed American architect Louis Sullivan at the beginning of the 20th century, affirming his belief in a functionalist aesthetic free of excessive ornamentation. His formula was later adopted by leading members of the Bauhaus movement, and influenced several generations of...

An essential design The ball joint is the keystone of this evolving, ingenious system, which has been copyrighted as a work of applied art since 1988. With its 47 grams of chrome-plated brass and six threaded holes into which six screws can be inserted, it has been nicknamed “the magic ball” in Switzerland. It allows the furniture system to be extended almost infinitely upwards and sideways, while ensuring it remains perfectly stable. One module can thus create a giant bookcase or a small, personalised storage unit. It is part of an open furniture system that can be adapted for many...

One module, many solutions Over time, the USM Haller furniture system has become emblematic of modern office design, helping to organise the largest and densest spaces by adapting to every requirement. It has become a favourite choice among architects, who know that its ultrafunctionality and reliability are now more necessary than ever. The USM Haller system is capable of rising to any occasion through its comprehensive range of accessories, including shelves, doors and drawers. USM Haller furniture systems can be found in the offices of Rolex around the world, as well as in Frank Gehry’s...

One module, many solutions Solid and discreet in equal measures, USM Haller furniture systems have become a functional, beautiful addition to homes around the world. As indispensable design classics, they blend seamlessly with a wide array of interior aesthetics. The world’s best-known architects, including Mario Botta, sing their praises and have installed them in spaces ranging from New York lofts to a Saint-Émilion wine cellar. USM Haller systems are regarded worldwide as valuable objects that can be owned and handed down. The first USM Haller furniture systems launched in the mid-1960s...

USM around the world Over the past 55 years, sales of the USM Haller furniture system have continued to grow. Many countries, such as France, Japan and the United States have developed longterm loyalty to the brand. Today, there are USM subsidiaries in seven countries around the world: Switzerland, Germany, France, Japan, United States, United Kingdom and China. The company opened a showroom in the midst of New York’s SoHo neighbourhood in 2002, followed by its Paris showroom on Rue de Bourgogne in 2003. Today, there are eight USM showrooms around the world and a network of over 430...