At the end of February, two eagerly awaited events take place in St. Moritz: the NOMAD design festival and the International Concours of Elegance – the I.C.E., where you can see priceless vintage cars on the frozen lake. The Grace La Margna Hotel in St. Moritz is ideally located for all this, and its new Stüvetta Moritz restaurant in particular is perfect for a cosy dinner at this time of year.
We meet Fabian Freytag, the Stüvetta Moritz’s interior designer, to explore the dialogue between heritage and innovation in contemporary design. From the understated elegance of Hamburg to the vibrant creative energy of Berlin, his aesthetic is a careful balance of structure and bold experimentation.
With projects such as the internationally acclaimed Stüvetta Moritz, Freytag reinterprets tradition with a daring, unexpected edge. In this conversation he reflects on the future of design, the influence of artificial intelligence and the emotional resonance of spaces.
IRMA: How do your Hamburg roots and Berlin’s vibrant creative scene characterise your work as a designer, especially in international projects such as the “Stüvetta Moritz”?
FABIAN FREYTAG: Hamburg is a city that emphasises timeless elegance – that has had a strong influence on me. Berlin, on the other hand, offers a creative chaos that constantly challenges me and inspires me to break the rules and adopt new perspectives. This tension between Hanseatic clarity and Berlin’s joy of experimentation characterises my style, especially in international projects such as the “Stüvetta Moritz”. My aim there to combine tradition with an unexpected, bold twist to create a place that feels both familiar and excitingly new.
IRMA: The “Stüvetta Moritz” combines Swiss tradition with modern design aesthetics. What is your secret to harmonising these opposites without losing the unique character of the project?
FABIAN FREYTAG: For me, finding the balance between tradition and design aesthetics always starts with curiosity – curiosity about the place, its history and its protagonists. With the “Stüvetta Moritz”, it was crucial to capture the essence of Swiss tradition without smothering it in clichés. Instead, I looked for elements that speak universally, such as natural materials, the alpine landscape and a pinch of tongue-in-cheek. The secret is to give these roots a language that preserves traditional warmth while creating an unexpected twist. The challenge is to maintain a balance between history and mental cinema so that the two not only coexist but reinforce each other.
IRMA: Light and ceiling architecture play a central role in your designs. How do you use these elements to enhance the emotional impact and experience of a room?
FABIAN FREYTAG: For me, light and ceiling architecture are not supporting actors, but protagonists of every room. Light defines the mood, the dynamics and even the sense of time of a place. I work with targeted lighting accents that direct the eye and immerse rooms in drama or intimacy. The ceiling, on the other hand, is an often underestimated canvas – it contributes significantly to the perception of space. I create a sense of security through targeted differences in height and patterns. Together with the light, the ceiling can tell a story: gentle diffusion that envelops the room in tranquillity or directed beams that create a focal point.
IRMA: Where do you think the world of interior design is heading and what role will innovative technology such as artificial intelligence play in your future work?
FABIAN FREYTAG: The world of interior design is increasingly moving away from rigid style guidelines in favour of individual, curatorial design. It’s less about trends and more about creating spaces that tell stories and evoke real emotions. Artificial intelligence will play an exciting role in this, especially as a creative sparring partner. For me, it doesn’t replace human intuition but enhances it. AI can visualise crazy ideas and generate designs that force us to leave our own pigeonholes. But the real magic happens when humans and machines work together to create something truly unique. I hope to see a renaissance of craftsmanship.
IRMA: Is there a design project that has particularly touched your heart? What lasting impressions have you taken away from it?
FABIAN FREYTAG: The MILANO TABLE Lamp, which we developed with the help of artificial intelligence. It was not just an experiment, but a true journey – one that has fundamentally changed the way I work creatively. It started with a vision that we were able to translate into an initial image using AI. That was the starting point. But from then on, things got really exciting: the journey took us to a glass workshop in Sweden, where we brought the idea to life. Working with the glassblowers, creating technical drawings and finally holding the first finished product in our hands after just three months was a moment that touched me deeply.
This project has not only influenced my creative endeavours, but also my understanding of design. It is proof that technology and humanity do not have to be opposites – they can inspire each other. The MILANO TABLE Lamp was presented in 2024 at Villa Borsani during Milan Design Week. A magical moment.
I am also currently working on a book about Lanzarote entitled BUILDING PARADISE, which is both an analysis and a personal diary. A project close to my heart that explores the unique combination of landscape, architecture and human interpretation.
