USM Haller Highboard XL, Customisable

The Design

First the Swiss architect Fritz Haller planned new production and office building for the company USM; before two years later he developed as part of a follow-on commission the interior of his newoffice building. The result: the USM furniture system. Originally used exclusively by USM in 1969 the company was requested to furnish the offices of the Paris Rothschild bank: Henceforth the USM Haller sideboards were produced in series. The shelving system is so designed with an inherent flexibility, thus USM Haller shelving can be adapted to changing requirements and reconfigured as required. The configurable USM Highboard XL has nine compartments and can be optionally equipped with drop-down doors or extension doors. With a depth of 35 cm the compartments are ideal for storing file folders.

Production

The production of the USM Haller furniture is carried out at the USM headquarters in Münsingen, Switzerland. There the metal tubes, the chrome plated brass connectors and the metal panels or glass are produced.. The metal shelves are lacquered using a special, environmentally friendly powder coating process in 14 colors. Components for orders intended for the German market are transported to the USM facility in Bühl, Baden-Württembergfor final assembly. Environmental sustainability at USM Haller is not only restricted to the production process but is an inherent feature of the the product design: the system is constructed from high quality, very durable materials and can be adapted to changes - there is, in effect, no need to ever replace a piece of USM Haller furniture. Thus automatically saving resources.

Assembly of a USM unit

Manufacturer

USM was founded in 1885 as an ironmongery and locksmithing operation by Ulrich Schärer in the Swiss village of Münsingen near Bern. The company started producing window fittings in the 1920s and later introduced metal and sheet metal processing; developments which helped pave the way for the production the USM Haller modular furniture system in the 1960s. Development the company's office pavilion Fritz Haller's modular furniture entered serial production in 1969, and quickly established itself as a popular office furniture solution and so slowly evolved into the contemporary design classic it is today. A globally active company USM Haller showrooms can be found in cities such as Paris, Tokyo and New York and the company distributes its modular furniture system in over 40 countries.

USM Haller Highboard XL with drop-down doors and open compartments

Designer

Eponym and designer of the USM Haller highboard is the Swiss architect Fritz Haller. The background to his famous modular furniture system is securely rooted in his architectural training and understanding. For his USM tables, USM sideboards, USM Haller mobile cabinets, etc. Fritz Haller has received various prizes, in addition his furniture system has been included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The design of the USM Haller furniture system is significantly influenced by Haller's building designs, for all his MidiMiniMaxi system which comprises the Mini format for residential buildings and offices, Midi for high installed building and Maxi for industrial buildings.

Fritz Haller's USM factory building reflects the modular design of his shelving system.

Historical Context

Fritz Haller designed the USM Haller in the ideal of functionalism, a philosophy which dominated post-war architecture and design in Europe. With its origins at the end of the 19th century and is popularly expressed by the quote "form follows function". With the USM Haller system this principle is applied par excellence: with its modularity the system is suitable for various solutions and can customised as required. The clear, minimalistic form arises from the focusing on the functionality and gives the furniture a timeless reduced appeal and aesthetic. Although originally planned for offices, since the 1970s USM Haller furniture has become increasingly popular in domestic spaces.

USM modular furniture system