There’s been a strong link in design between Switzerland and Italy (particularly Milan) going back to the 1940s. Max Huber, Carlo Vivarelli, Walter Ballmer were just a few of the legendary Swiss designers who crossed the Alps to help create the International Typographic School for which Italian (and Swiss) design became renowned.

In 2011 we want to bring the story full circle and celebrate the shared past, present and future of Swiss and Italian design. We’re organising a design collaboration between 22 leading Swiss and Italian designers that will be exhibited in Zurich and Milan in 2011 and published in a book distributed across Italy, Switzerland and Europe.

To support the next generation of Swiss and Italian creative talent we organized a competition for young designers to be exhibited and published alongside the established designers. The winners (and a gallery of highly commended designers) are found in this section. We salute you all.