Best Design Firm

Fuseproject is the brainchild of Yves Béhar, a Swiss-born industrial designer whose lengthy résumé of awards could very well render him an Olympian in the field of design. Béhar and his team seek to create objects and product concepts aimed toward the tech-savvy and environmentally-conscious consumer. Whether it's the eco-friendly, cornstarch-based packaging for DEVO underwear (it dissolves with a toss in the wash), or the cell phone designed for Avo (it molds to fit a user's hand), the fuseproject philosophy includes both a consumer's interaction with an object and the emotional experience that object engenders. Fuseproject has recently lent its talent to "built" architecture with the design of the Friend "Concept Store" in Hayes Valley -- a mixed-use space where design objects are exhibited and sold and public forum is encouraged. Béhar's designs for fuseproject are on exhibit at SFMOMA through Oct. 3.