From Organbuilding to Furniture Design



Learning a sound profession

April 1986 - April 1991: Apprenticeship in Organ Building (School/Practice)

at the organ building Company Th. Kuhn AG, Männedorf (Switzerland).

Working on several organs, both new and restaurations.

April 1991 Certificate of Proficiency, Employment at Kuhn AG.

1992 Joined the company's Restauration-Team.


Experiences abroad

January 1994-July 1995: Employment by french Organbuilder Gérald Guillemin,

Malaucène (F).

Starting August 1995: Study of Italian language at the university of Perugia (I)

followed by a Restauration-Project for the italian organ building Company

Pinchi, Foligno (I)

July 1997-December 1998: Employed by US pipe organ builder Richard Howell Co.

Baltimore MD/Lynchburg VA (USA).


Design becomes my business

April1999 - September 2000: Employment by the company Out of the Woodwork,

Chicago (USA).

Several Concepts and/or realisations of design furniture for Home and Office.

September-December 2000 Complete restoration of a Chickering Reproducing

Piano (1908) with Ampico System


Defining my own approach to design

January 2001: I started my own company in Zurich, focussing on individual

design and build solutions for home and office furniture.

My name is Jann Knaus,

Bauhütte Design is the name of my business.

I learned my craft and trade as an Organ builder,

today, I use that experience as a Furniture-Designer.


Both Trades offer a sensual experience -

Furniture design lets me express my creativity

in more diverse ways