noma
nolax Magazine | Nº 2 | April 2015
The inflatable concert hall of the Lucerne Festival,
designed by Anish Kapoor, in Matsushima, Japan.
Cover photo: Iwan Baan
EDITORIAL
Dear reader:
noma, our magazine, fulfills an important function. Its purpose
is to inspire, present ideas, and aim the spotlight at people who
open up new, exciting dimensions with their work.
This doesn’t necessarily have to be directly related to our
business activities. For instance, if you read the portrait of the
blacksmith in Guarda (page 38), who crafts fantastic knives in
his 19th century forge, you could legitimately ask why we devote
so much space to Thomas Lampert in our magazine. He is not
involved in adhesives in any way; his focus is on working with
glowing steel and precious, artisanally crafted alloys. Answer:
We are impressed by personalities like Lampert, who relies on
a repository of traditions yet succeeds in creating remarkably
contemporary products. For us, he fits the mold of a pioneer, and
we are delighted to have the opportunity of presenting him as a
kindred spirit in the broadest sense of the term.
Additionally, this issue features inspiring articles by Malcolm
Gladwell, Thomas Wördehoff, Mathias Plüss, and Max Küng, as
well as revealing insights into the hidden connections in animal
habitats, the design fundamentals of the first rockets, and the
working environment of illustrator and artist Daniel Müller.
Only rarely does our magazine contain reports about nolax,
our projects, or me as an individual. This time around, the
exception proves the rule.Writer and non-fiction author Christian
Ankowitsch took my expedition to Mount Logan as the cue for a
causerie that not only dwells on this adventure but also drills into
critical topics which play an important role both on the mountain
and in business management: goals, loyalty, hierarchies, and
failure.
You’re invited to join us on this literary excursion.
I hope it will inspire you.
Yours, Stefan Leumann
noma – nolax Magazine
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CONTENTS
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16
The castle in the air
Michael Haefliger built a castle in the air. The director of the
Lucerne Festival organized the development of an inflatable concert hall named Ark Nova to offer people in crisis-ridden regions
the consolation of music and culture.
Text: Thomas Wördehoff
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Self-experiment
Our author conducts a self-experiment: This time, he travels to
St. Moritz and boards a vehicle that transports only very few
people through the stone pine forest. A bobsled. At the controls:
Reto Götschi. At the limit: Max Küng.
Photos: Iwan Baan
Text: Max Küng
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Photos: Kuster Frey
CREDITS
noma Nº 2 — April 2015
PUBLISHER: nolax AG, CH-6203 Sempach Station, www.nolax.com — CONCEPT, DESIGN, EDITING: Kuster Frey, Luzern, www.kusterfrey.ch — EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Christian Seiler, journalist, Vienna,
www.christianseiler.com | Helene Sidler, nolax AG, Sempach Station — PHOTO EDITOR: Kuster Frey, www.kusterfreyfotografie.ch — AUTHORS: Christian Ankowitsch, Berlin | Max Küng, Zürich | Mathias Plüss,
Oftringen | Christian Seiler, Vienna | Thomas Wördehoff, Ludwigsburg — PHOTOGRAPHERS: Bruno Augsburger, Zürich | Iwan Baan, Amsterdam | Kuster Frey, Luzern — ILLUSTRATORS: Simone Gödecke,
Berlin | Rachel Ann Lindsay, Toronto | Lorenz Meier, Zürich | Daniel Müller, Zürich — TRANSLATION: ITLA, Zollikon — PROOFREADING: Ruth Hafen, Zürich — PRINTER: Kalt Medien AG, Zug
© 2015 nolax AG, Switzerland. All rights reserved. — The opinions expressed by the authors may deviate from those of the publisher. Any reproduction of editorial content by any means, in whole or in part, is prohibited
without written permission from the publisher and, if granted, must mention “nolax Magazine” as the source of text and images. “nolax Magazine” is published once a year in April. — Reprints: [email protected] — Printed
on chlorine-free bleached paper. Arctic Volume. FSC-certified. — Printed in Switzerland.
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noma – nolax Magazine
CONTENTS
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The expedition
38
nolax’ Stefan Leumann embarked on an expedition to Mount
Logan. What prompted him to face this alpine challenge? And
which insights did he take home from an inhospitable wilderness?
A candid conversation about hierarchies, inspiration, and other
analogies between mountain climbing and business.
Text: Christian Ankowitsch
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The blacksmith in Guarda
In his 19th century workshop, Thomas Lampert forges tomorrow’s knives. The Engadiner by choice builds a bridge between
the storybook landscape he now calls home and the quality
benchmarks he brought with him. Portrait of an inventive traditionalist.
Text: Christian Seiler
Portraits: Bruno Augsburger
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Photos: Kuster Frey
History. At a glance Lorenz Meier sketches out the
invention of the rocket.
20 Idea table Art is created here: A snapshot of illustrator
and artist Daniel Müller.
30
Hidden connections Rare revelations: The expedient
ways animals organize their homes.
Essay Bestseller author Malcolm Gladwell on the
affinity between tenacity and success.
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50
The list Ten discoveries made by creative people in their
sleep. By Mathias Plüss
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