Furniture, Lamps, and Her Grandfather’s Legacy

Johanna, from a family of Zurich-based architects, discovered treasures while going through her late father’s estate – creations by her grandfather that quite literally shed light on her own professional path. Johanna now reproduces furniture and lamps, continuing the legacy of her grandfather Alfred Altherr more than 50 years later.

It’s no surprise Johanna has an eye for design – she comes from a creative architectural family. Her first professional steps were in dance – she earned a Master of Arts and completed postgraduate studies in scenography for dance in London. In 2015, she pivoted to interior design, earning a degree and specializing in exhibition and spatial design, project management, and development.

A legacy rediscovered

Four years ago, Johanna’s father Jürg Altherr – a renowned Swiss sculptor – passed away. In his body of work, Johanna repeatedly stumbled upon references to her grandfather, a pioneer in Swiss home design. Alfred Altherr, who worked with Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret in Paris, designed a remarkably minimalist and timeless floor lamp in 1953.

So impressed was Johanna with the enduring elegance of these designs that she decided to continue the family tradition with a curated reissue collection. She spent four years developing this 1960s-inspired collection, which includes floor lamps, well-proportioned wooden chairs, and a sleek home office desk.

Made in Switzerland

True to her values, Johanna ensures all production is 100% Swiss-made, mainly in the Zurich region. Her first major order came from Hotel Barrage at the Grand Dixence dam in Sion, which ordered several dozen lamps. However, business in this field is irregular – one large order may secure liquidity for months, while lulls can threaten growth. Professional marketing and pre-financing of production were out of reach without support.

Ahead helps her brand shine

Thanks to her microloan, Johanna was able to elevate her brand’s visual identity to match the quality of her designs. The collaboration with “Stahl- und Traum” enabled the first production run.

Johanna knows she’s operating in a niche, but her high-quality products are a treasure for design lovers. With passion and purpose, she continues her grandfather’s legacy, translating 60s design into the modern age.

Johanna Altherr
Altherrundaltherr
Imfeldsteig 4
8037 Zürich
altherrundaltherr.ch
johanna@altherrundaltherr.ch