About
I was born in Switzerland, and I grew up in an environment where precision, curiosity, and attention to detail were part of everyday life — values strongly shaped by the Swiss educational system at the time.
Building on this foundation, I have dedicated my career to the intersection of design, craftsmanship, and visual storytelling. With formal training and a professional background in architecture, design and visual communication, I approach eyewear not merely as an accessory, but as a crafted object — a small piece of architecture for the face.
With more than 35 years of experience, my work in product design, visual arts, and spatial installations has been recognised internationally, with more than 35 awards and distinctions in Germany, Japan, and the U.S.
My passion for eyewear began early, with my first designs dating back to 1989, and has remained a central thread throughout my career. I have had the opportunity to collaborate with companies across Europe, Asia, and the U.S., supporting projects from initial concept development to material consulting, complete collections, and technical components.
Beyond eyewear, my work continues in visual arts and spatial design, exploring how people interact with objects, spaces, and systems of communication — both analog and digital. I believe that architecture and visual art are closely interconnected, both fundamentally concerned with space, structure, and human experience. At the intersection of design, craft, and concept, I continue to explore how thoughtful objects and environments can create meaningful connections.
This site is intentionally quiet. No moving parts. No triggers, no effects. Nothing that chases your attention.
Like the surface of still water — faintly rippled, almost still. With depth. And beneath that surface:
a private topography of thoughts, tools, and ways of seeing.
It doesn’t aim to impress. It simply reflects how I’ve come to think — across disciplines, and over the years.
Not because I saw it. because I built it.
Clients often mention how quickly I arrive at finished ideas — sometimes before they’ve even finished describing the problem.
That’s not entirely intuition. It’s structure. Internally, it has to do with how I process patterns. I don’t see isolated parts — I see the entire system. Every shape, every detail, every relation is already connected in my mind. That’s how it appears to me: already there, already complete.
While the client is still in the present moment, I’m already seeing the version that will exist. Not as a vague concept, but with full clarity.
It’s not a sketch, it’s a resolution.
That’s been true for me as long as I can remember. The things I design don’t feel like inventions. They feel like something I’ve already known — and simply recalled.
A Family name rooted in history
With origins likely derived from the French ‘Bonange’ — meaning “Good Angel” — Bonengél carries a history that reaches back to the 17th century. During the migration of Huguenots to German-speaking regions, the name was adapted and evolved into its present form.
Bonengél is not just a name; it’s a quiet thread of history — personal and enduring, much like the work I pursue with care and intent.
A Simple Letter, Reframed
The bonengél logo is a simple, direct expression of the brand itself: a b rotated 45 degrees to the left.
The form is derived directly from the original, individually developed Bonengél typeface. The letter b is enlarged and transformed into a graphic mark, retaining the characteristic proportions and geometry of the lettering rather than introducing a separate symbol.
There is also a subtle connection to the construction of the eyewear itself. The circular geometry of the ‘b' relates to the small screws used throughout the Bonengél hinge constructions, whose proportions closely echo the letter ‘o'. The b can be understood as a variation of this simple circular form, interrupted by its characteristic vertical element.
Most importantly, however, the symbol belongs to the temple itself. The temple is produced straight and is later formed into its characteristic 45-degree downward position. This creates a natural place for the b to sit within the geometry of the temple end, allowing the mark to become part of the object rather than simply being applied to it.
The result is a logo that can be discovered directly on the eyewear: a graphic extension of the bonengél b, shaped by the construction and geometry of the frame itself.
SOBRE: Fabián M Hofmann Bonengél, un arquitecte i dissenyador nascut a Suïssa, crea obres d'art visualment sorprenents a més dels seus projectes arquitectònics i de disseny.
Ha rebut nombrosos premis i reconeixements internacionals per les seves instal·lacions espacials, dissenys de productes i obres gràfiques, incloent-hi reconeixements a Alemanya, Japó i els EUA. En els darrers anys, Hofmann Bonengél s'ha centrat en l'art visual i creu que l'arquitectura i la pintura estan interconnectades. El seu treball explora diferents formes de comunicació i treball en xarxa, tant en espais urbans com digitals, i examina la connexió dels individus dins la societat i els diferents mitjans de comunicació, ja siguin analògics o digitals.