Pattern: from Idea to Icon

When Alfredo Häberli designed Pattern, he started with a simple observation: books are rarely all the same size. Traditional shelves tend to impose order, while books themselves create variety.

Searching for a geometric figure that could be repeated, Häberli developed an irregular pentagon. Repeated over and over, the shape created a pattern that became both structure and ornament. The result was neither a conventional bookcase nor a sculpture, but something in between.

The first version of Pattern was presented in 2006 and immediately attracted international attention. Wallpaper Magazine selected it as Best Shelving System, recognising its originality and visual impact.

Yet success brought a challenge. The original construction was beautiful, but extremely labour-intensive to produce. Rather than simplifying the design, Quodes searched for a new way to realise the concept. The solution was found in an innovative construction using folded aluminium composite panels, mounted under tension. This approach preserved the character of the design while making production more efficient and consistent.

Pattern occupies a unique position between art and function. It stores books, but it also invites the display of objects, photographs and personal collections. The rhythm of the pattern creates constantly changing compositions, allowing each owner to curate the piece in their own way.

Unlike many bookcases, Pattern is equally interesting from the back. The geometric structure remains visible on both sides, enabling the design to function as a room divider as well as a storage piece.

Over the years, Pattern has been published internationally and exhibited in museums, including the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich. More than a bookcase, it has become a lasting expression of Alfredo Häberli's belief that functionality and poetry can coexist within a single object.

Nearly two decades after its introduction, Pattern remains part of the Quodes collection — a design that continues to demonstrate how a simple idea, carefully developed, can stand the test of time.