MAZE Design Basel: A Bold New Chapter for Collectible Design

As Art Basel returns to Switzerland’s art-packed cultural capital this June, a new player steps confidently into the design spotlight.

Launching June 16–17, 2025, MAZE Design Basel debuts as the city’s most talked-about new destination for collectible design — taking over the atmospheric neo-Gothic Offene Kirche Elisabethen, just across from the Kunsthalle.

_Offene Kirche Elisabethen, Basel © Mikhaïl Markovskiy

Offene Kirche Elisabethen, Basel

Created in response to the sudden departure of Design Miami/Basel, MAZE doesn’t just fill a gap — it reimagines what a design fair can be, bringing together eleven leading international galleries in a format that feels more like a sacred ritual than a trade show. Expect a highly curated, immersive salon experience spanning rare mid-century icons to the most cutting-edge collectible objects today.

The Venue: A Neo-Gothic Immersion

Set within soaring stone arches and beneath stained-glass windows, the Offene Kirche Elisabethen plays host to this two-day design pilgrimage — its historic drama a perfect counterpoint to the modern works on show. It’s a sharp departure from sterile convention centers, aligning with MAZE’s vision for emotionally resonant, architecturally charged showcases.

Philippe Hiquily, fauteuil Coque, Galerie Gastou © Edouard Auffray

Philippe Hiquily, Coque Armchair 1975, Hammered brass, Base in steel or plexiglas, H. 90 x 95 x 67.Edition of 40

The Galleries: A Collector’s Dream

MAZE Design Basel assembles an exceptional lineup of design leaders from Paris, Brussels, and New York. Highlights include:

 

  • Galerie Gastou, presenting Philippe Hiquily’s sculptural Coque armchair and a parchment-clad 1937 Jacques Adnet sideboard.

  • Laffanour | Galerie Downtown, with museum-grade pieces by Prouvé, Perriand, and Zanine Caldas.

  • Galerie Mitterrand, showcasing François-Xavier Lalanne’s surrealist icons including the Rhinocrétaire and Moutons de laine.

  • Pierre-Marie Giraud, with refined ceramics and Herzog & de Meuron’s Duo Iuga table.

  • Kreo, bringing limited editions by Virgil Abloh, the Bouroullecs, and Marc Newson.

  • Thomas Fritsch – Atrium, anchoring the ceramic revival with works by Georges Jouve and Suzanne Ramié.

Pierre Paulin, Déclive © Galerie Jousse

Pierre Paulin, Déclive © Galerie Jousse. Pierre Paulin, Déclive, 1968 Wooden slats, aluminum, foam, fabric 143 x 280 cm, variable height. Provenance Paulin family

Also on show: poetic juxtapositions at Ketabi Bourdet, emerging talent at Jousse Entreprise, and Japanese minimalism at Thomsen Gallery. Special projects include a cocktail bar installation by Reflets de Nouvel, jewelry by Nikos Koulis, and design publishing from JRP|Editions.

 

Why Basel Now?

Art Basel week is Europe’s undisputed cultural epicenter — but design lovers now have another reason to visit. MAZE brings a new gravity and intimacy to the week’s program, showing how collectible design can thrive in unexpected spaces and spiritual surroundings.

Philippe Starck, luminaire Easylight © Studio Shapiro_Courtesy Ketabi Bourdet.

Philippe Starck, luminaire Easylight © Studio Shapiro_Courtesy Ketabi Bourdet.

The Fluxx Editors - Where to Stay and Dine in Basel

Elevate your Basel experience with a stay or meal at one of these venues. Enjoy.

And for food and drink:

 

Plan Your Visit

MAZE Design Basel, June 16–17, 2025
Offene Kirche Elisabethen, Basel
Featuring: Galerie Kreo, Salon 94, Pierre-Marie Giraud, Galerie Mitterrand, Laffanour, and more

Follow @maze.presents for design updates

mazepresents.com

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