The MTM Collection: Architectural Principles Applied to Furniture
The MTM—Made to Measure furniture collection, developed by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron for the Italian furniture brand UniFor, has been launched as a versatile system designed to transcend the limitations of individual, one-off furniture pieces. According to Archdaily, the collection applies architectural principles—specifically geometry, proportion, and structural construction—to furniture design. By utilizing a shared structural matrix, the collection’s pieces can be extended, reduced, and reconfigured to accommodate various spatial requirements while maintaining a coherent identity.
The foundation of the system is a structural decision involving a 12-degree geometry and a three-dimensional timber joint. This joint, which connects four solid timber beams, reinterprets traditional castle-joint construction techniques. As reported by Dezeen, the 12-degree angle is a defining feature that provides stability to the wooden frames and is consistently applied to both the legs and the chamfered edges of the tabletops.
Development and Design Evolution
The Made to Measure
concept originated in 2022 as a standing table prototype for Herzog & de Meuron’s own studio in Basel. The design was further refined and expanded through the development of modular benches for the Memphis Art Museum project, which began in late 2024.
Materiality and Versatility
The MTM collection is intended primarily for corporate settings, though its modular nature allows it to evolve and adapt to different environments over time. The material palette for the series is diverse, emphasizing both tactile quality and structural longevity. Upholstered elements, such as those found on the sofas and benches, are clad in cork fabric—a material the architects previously utilized in furniture developed for the Pérez Art Museum in Miami.
For the tables, the collection offers natural oak frames to match the wooden legs, with surface inserts available in several materials:
- Polished steel
- Coloured glass
- Travertine
- Lepanto red marble
Ascan Mergenthaler, a senior partner at Herzog & de Meuron, emphasized that the strength of the series lies in its versatility. It is not conceived for a single context, but to be, as the name suggests, truly 'made to measure' in its use, dimensions and material quality,
Mergenthaler stated. By maintaining a consistent constructive principle across all pieces, the collection encourages interaction and provides a streamlined aesthetic suitable for both large communal gatherings and compact configurations.
Architectural Context and Collaboration
Herzog & de Meuron, founded in Basel in 1978 by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, maintains a philosophy that rejects the model of the heroic architect
with a single strategy for every occasion. Instead, the firm approaches each project based on its own specific situation, whether related to material, program, or context.
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