In a move that promises to shake up the design publishing world, the Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity has acquired Lars Müller Publishers (LMP), the esteemed Swiss imprint known for its authoritative works in architecture, design, and visual culture. The partnership brings together two institutions with aligned missions: using design as a force for cultural inquiry and change.
The merger signals a new era for both entities. The Eames Institute—founded to share the problem-solving legacy of Ray and Charles Eames—has quickly become a prominent platform for exhibitions, research, and digital storytelling. LMP, founded by the influential graphic designer Lars Müller, has cultivated a reputation for high-quality, intellectually rigorous publications that have become essential reading for architects, designers, and academics worldwide.
Recent standout titles from Lars Müller Publishers underscore the imprint’s continued relevance in the architectural field. These include SO–IL: In Depth: Urban Domesticities Today, a deep dive into the New York–based firm’s material experimentation and global partnerships; Louis I. Kahn: The Last Notebook – a facsimile edition of his final notebook, with commentary by Sue Ann Kahn; and Album Punjab, 1951 – a facsimile edition of Le Corbusier’s notes and sketches made in anticipation of planning Chandigarh, with commentary by Maristella Casciato. Together, these volumes reflect LMP’s unique ability to merge scholarly precision with visual clarity—an editorial approach that resonates deeply within the architectural community.
“We are thrilled to welcome Lars Müller Publishers to the Eames Institute family,” said Trent Still, the Institute’s Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Strategy. “Together, we can extend our spirit of curiosity by pairing exceptional publishing with immersive exhibitions, digital storytelling, and educational outreach.”
Critically, LMP will retain its editorial independence and Zurich headquarters, ensuring continuity for the imprint’s distinctive voice. Müller will remain actively involved, steering the publishing vision in collaboration with Jonas Voegeli and Kerstin Landis of Hubertus Design—an acclaimed Zurich studio known for its sharp editorial sensibility. Voegeli and Landis described the alignment as a “generational shift” and a reaffirmation of their belief that “publishing and design are tools for imagining—and shaping—the future.”
The move also reflects the Institute’s growing ecosystem of mission-driven design initiatives. LMP now joins the ranks of William Stout Architectural Books, the legendary San Francisco retailer acquired by the Institute in 2023, where LMP’s catalog will soon be available for in-person browsing, events, and U.S.-based programming.
“This partnership will nurture the editorial independence, intellectual rigor and design ethos that have long defined our work,” said Müller. “And it will also create new opportunities for purposeful publishing.”
Future titles slated for 2025 and beyond will proceed uninterrupted. But the deeper story may be the potential for collaborative research initiatives and co-published series that bridge continents—and generations of design thinkers.
As architecture continues to wrestle with its social, ecological, and technological responsibilities, this alliance doubles down on the idea that design books still matter—and that the stories we publish shape the worlds we build.
