Design Talk with Lorena von Büren

Lorena von Büren is one of the recent grad­u­ates of the Bachelor’s program in Indus­trial Design at the Insti­tute Contem­po­rary Design Prac­tices (ICDP) at the HGK Basel FHNW. As part of her Bachelor’s thesis «G.O.A.T.,» she devel­oped a climbing pros­thesis for people with leg ampu­ta­tions.

Chal­lenge: What are you currently racking your brain about?

I’m currently focused on 3D-printed orthoses. Specif­i­cally, I’m devel­oping an orthosis that inte­grates both the ankle joint and an inlay.

Passion: In your Bachelor’s thesis “G.O.A.T.”, you devel­oped a climbing pros­thesis for people with leg ampu­ta­tions. Are you contin­uing with this project after grad­u­a­tion?

At the moment, I’m working at a startup that produces orthoses and pros­theses. In the future, I could certainly see myself contin­uing to develop “G.O.A.T.” with them.

Dream Collab­o­ra­tion: Who would you like to work with on a project?

Besides medical design, I’m also passionate about sports equip­ment, and I would love to contribute to projects at Kiska. A collab­o­ra­tion with the BIG-GAME design studio would also be exciting—I really admire their refreshing designs.

Newcomer: Which national and inter­na­tional designers are you currently following?

I often check out Axel Chay’s designs. He frequently incor­po­rates pipes into his objects, but always in very different and inno­v­a­tive ways. It never fails to fasci­nate me.

Dinner Party: Which figures from the Swiss and inter­na­tional design scene would you ideally have at your dinner table?

The founders of Big-Game: Augustin Scott de Mart­inville, Grégoire Jean­monod, and Elric Petit, as well as the duo from Doshi Levien Studio: Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien. To complete the circle, I’d add Axel Chay and Inga Sempé.

Hotspot: What’s your favourite place in Switzer­land right now and why?

The Klein­basel Rhine bank. There’s always some­thing going on, and you have a lovely view of the city. On a nice day, I enjoy soaking up the sun, and there’s nothing stop­ping me from taking a dip in the Rhine.

Inspi­ra­tion: What inspires you in everyday life?

Music and sport, espe­cially dancing. They help me to switch off and clear my mind.

Time Travel: What do you think you’ll be working on in five years?

With my work at a startup focused on 3D-printed orthoses and pros­theses, I’ve found myself in an area that has always inter­ested me. If, by chance, I decide to move away from medical design, I could also see myself in the sports and outdoor industry.