Visit the Vitra Campus – Temple of design and architecture

My summary

Where is the Vitra Campus?

Vitra is based in Weil-am-Rhein, Germany, right on the border with France and Switzerland. So it’s easy to visit Vitra when you’re in Alsace or Basel.

What to do at the Vitra Campus

What can you see at Vitra? Plenty! The Vitra campus is an exceptional place and well worth a visit. The hardest part is just understanding how it all fits together, but I’ve been there several times so I can explain 🙂

You can take a quick look at the factory on a guided tour, take part in a guided tour of the campus architecture, visit the VitraHaus (a huge showroom), visit the Vitra Museum (featuring temporary exhibitions exclusively) and also visit the Schaudepot (featuring major chairs and armchairs from the Vitra Design Museum collection). And last but not least, take a coffee break and even go tobogganing!

Visit the Vitra factory

TheVitra factory remains a well-kept secret. It is only possible to witness the final stages of production of an Aluminium Chair by Charles and Ray Eames during guided tours offered on certain days (in German only).

Discover the architecture of the Vitra Campus

The guided tour of the Vitra Campus architecture is well worth it. Renowned international architects such as Franck Gehry, Zaha Hadid or Herzog & de Meuron have built various buildings on the campus. The whole thing is really incredible!

The guided tour is available (depending on dates) in German, English and French. It gives access to otherwise inaccessible areas of the campus and allows you to see a wide variety of different buildings: it’s a real open-air architectural museum! Really impressive, I loved this tour.

Visit the VitraHaus

The VitraHaus, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, is an iconic campus building, recognizable by its silhouette of stacked houses. It is Vitra’s flagship store (a huge showroom), exhibition space and architectural showcase.

Each floor features furniture by iconic designers such as Eames, Prouvé and Panton. It’s like strolling through a large contemporary house, marvelling at the creativity of the designers, and as a bonus, the top floor offers a beautiful panoramic view of the campus.

In my opinion, the VitraHaus is a great idea, since it’s accessible free of charge but can be visited like a rich museum with remarkable architecture, where you can really wander around with pleasure and interest for a good while. It’s my favorite part of the Vitra Campus!

Visit the Vitra Design Museum

The Vitra Design Museum, inaugurated in 1989, is the work of architect Frank Gehry. It’s his first building in Europe, and it doesn’t go unnoticed, with its sculptural forms, unstructured volumes and bright white walls.

The museum doesn’t have a permanent collection, but offers temporary exhibitions, often on contemporary themes such as sustainability, future technologies or the social impact of design. Given the hefty entrance fee, I’d advise you to visit only if the theme of the exhibition really appeals to you, as I’ve already been disappointed.

Visit the Schaudepot

The Schaudepot, designed by Herzog & de Meuron and opened in 2016, is a red-brick building with a clean, simple design. It houses part of the Vitra Design Museum’s extensive collection, with over 400 pieces of furniture on display, ranging from Charles and Ray Eames classics to contemporary creations.

In particular, it showcases numerous armchairs and chairs from the Vitra collection dating back to 1800. There’s no particular staging of the objects here, which are displayed on large shelves, but a focus on the evolution of design over time. I love this place, it’s really full of beautiful objects!

Take a break at Café Vitra or the Depot Deli

During or after a visit, a break can be very welcome! The Vitra Campus offers two cafés whose interior design features Vitra creations, allowing you to extend the design experience over a coffee or a meal:

• Café Vitra, on the first floor of the VitraHaus, with its superb terrace.
• The Depot Deli, in the Schaudepot building, which is also a very pleasant link.

Tobogganing

For a playful touch to your visit, don’t miss the tower with slide designed by artist Carsten Höller. This 31-metre-high structure offers a panoramic view of the campus before spiralling down the slide. It’s a fun experience that appeals to children and adults alike (yes, it does!).

Shopping at Vitra

The Vitra Campus store, located in the VitraHaus and Schaudepot, is a veritable Ali Baba’s cave for design enthusiasts. You’ll find a wide selection of furniture, accessories and decorative objects, from timeless classics to novelties. Please note that the prices are Vitra prices, so it’s still top-of-the-range design! Still, I enjoy wandering around the stores, which are nice to see even if you don’t buy anything.