Selection for 2025 Róng Design Library Residency Program

Pauline Agustoni (@paulineagustoni) is a Swiss designer working between Berlin, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Since her graduation from Design Academy Eindhoven, her practice revolves around the artistic and conceptual exploration of manufacturing processes in crafts and design. Beside her individual projects, she co-initiated Craft Portrait in collaboration with Satomi Minoshima, a series of projects aimed at reimagining the narratives surrounding contemporary craftsmanship.

Her work focuses on an in-depth understanding of manufacturing techniques, letting the dialogue with artisans, materials and processes guide her work toward a more mindful approach to production. Deeply inspired by the dynamics of movement in ceramics, she will investigate themes of collapse and support in porcelain work during her residency. Working from the very birthplace of porcelain clay, she will explore the gestures and movements of fired porcelain as well as pursue celadon glaze research.

Ivo Theo Frederico Allgoewer (@ivo.allgoewer) completed Bachelor’s in Industrial Design at HGK in 2023 and has been working as an independent designer since then. His projects range between art and industrial design, with a strong focus on materials and craftsmanship. He embraces experimentation and the element of chance to create new aesthetics and tactile experiences. He is currently working at Studio Aisslinger in Berlin and is in the process of establishing his own studio.

Ivo is dedicated to integrating chance and imperfection into the creative process, transforming unconventional ideas into unique design solutions. Currently focused on metal casting, he uses negative molds from materials like clay, plaster, stone, or wood. These materials allow for an unpredictable casting process, where natural cracks and deformations lead to one-of-a-kind structures. In a society driven by algorithms and efficiency, he seeks to reintroduce randomness and celebrate the natural character of materials. During this residency, he plans to explore traditional Chinese casting techniques and create a series of objects that reflect this approach, along with a small publication documenting the process and philosophy.

Valentin Dubois (@studio_valentin_dubois) is a French interior designer who graduated from HEAD Geneva. His final-year project won him the Red Cross Public Prize in 2017, as well as a Hans-Wilsdorf Foundation award for academic excellence. In 2018, he established his own studio in Geneva and gained further recognition by winning the Public Prize at Villa Noailles’ Design Parade Toulon. Valentin works on space planning, scenography and furniture projects for private clients and public institutions. He teaches at HEAD – Geneva and is supported by the AHEAD Design Incubator and the ABRI Foundation.

His experiences in Beijing and Japan had a profound effect on him. They enabled him to understand traditional craft techniques and the aesthetic values that underpin them. At the last Milan week, he created the CWTL (Chair With Table Legs), where he experimented with glueless wooden joints, combining functionality and craftsmanship. This project reinforced his belief that design takes time and that each piece tells a unique story. With this residency, he wants to take this thinking further by devoting precious time to creation, in particular by experimenting with wood assembly and fixing techniques and their application to mechanical parts. 

Léon Félix (@leon_felix) is an industrial designer based between Lausanne and Geneva. After earning a bachelor’s degree from ECAL, he worked as a craftsman in the school’s model workshop while simultaneously developing his design practice. This dual experience broadened his expertise across a wide range of projects and deepened his ambition to explore the relationship between design and craftsmanship. His work as been recognized and supported from institutions such as Villa du Parc – Centre d’Art Contemporain, the Swiss Design Awards, and the Vitra Design Museum.

During his residency, Léon intends to explore traditional Chinese joinery techniques, aiming to gain a deeper appreciation for their historical and cultural significance. His focus is on exploring the potential of traditional techniques, to inform modern sustainable design practices. To do so, he plans to develop a collection of samples that could be applied to a set of furniture or objects, while also investigating the use of both native and invasive species, often seen as problematic, as viable materials for traditional joinery.