Gina Furrer

How long have you been working for Dobas AG?  

I’ve been on the Dobas team since May 2023.

Where did your professional journey take you prior to your current position?

During my Interior Architecture studies with a focus on Scenography, I was rigorously trained in communicating stories in and with space using all the senses. A semester abroad in Den Haag broadened my design horizons even further. After that, I began to develop tourist concepts, brand lands and overall exhibition concepts – from castles to zoos. In addition, since the beginning of my design career I have always been passionate about product and graphic design.

What are your main tasks as an interior architect?  

Concept development and design are my main tasks. They involve aspects such as leading visits, functionality, material selection as well as crafting design themes.

How do you stay informed and, more importantly, inspired?

Depending on the project, you can find inspiration everywhere – on the internet, while grocery shopping, in conversation with colleagues or at an art exhibition. The latter, at least, almost always makes me feel happy. 

What materials make your senses tingle?

I am interested in any material that reveals the frequency of its use and gains in character over time – whether it’s wood, cement or clay.

What should not be missing from your workplace?

My loyal friend and helper: the yellow notepad! For jumping between ideas and making sketches. When you can simplify the abundance of thoughts whizzing through your head and put them down in a yellow notepad, you have made one more significant step.

What building and/or space has left a particularly lasting impression on you and why?

The spaces that stay with me are the ones that surprise me in fundamental ways, on numerous levels, both on a small and a large scale. The spaces of the Groote Museum in Amsterdam, through which, out of the blue, a storm sweeps in with thunders and booms. The Pius Church in Meggen, which seems so inconspicuous from the outside but is flooded with light on the inside. A small door to a secluded, dark and forsaken alleyway in Athens that ends up revealing a large, vibrant pub with live music, big tables with dozens of patrons and the wonderful smell of food.

What fills you with joy and pride in your professional life?

To experience how, from a one-dimensional drawing, a spatial structure emerges that surrounds, influences and accommodates people and impacts the whole atmosphere.

What brings you joy in your personal life?

To meet people in indoor and outdoor spaces, talk, and, in the best-case scenario, enjoy an excellent meal together.