Name: Richard Hug

Location: Zurich, Switzerland

Occupation: Product Manager, Designer, Hobbyist, Gamer

Room size: 20 m² (215 ft²)

Cost of setup: ~5K CHF ($6K)

Website: Richie Hug

Hello! Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m Richie Hug — a Swiss‑Mexican product‑and‑design nerd from Zurich, Switzerland.

Outside of work, I’m into gaming (mostly horror or AAA games), and I love to design and build stuff.

I’ve built PCs and keyboards over the last decade, and most recently, I’ve revamped my PC setup and gaming/working desk to match what you see in this tour.

Take us through your setup

PC

ItemModel
MotherboardNZXT N7 B650e
CPUAMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 4.7 GHz 8-Core Processor
CPU coolerNoctua NH-D15 chromax black
Graphics cardGigabyte WINDFORCE V2 GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB
RAMKingston FURY Beast 64 GB (2 x 32 GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 Memory
SSDSamsung 990 EVO 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 5.0
CaseCooler Master QUBE 500 Flatpack
PSUNZXT C1200 (2024) 1200W
FansArctic P12 ×2
Arctic P14 ×4
LightingNZXT RGB strip ×3

Peripherals

ItemModel
MonitorLG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B
Monitor mountArctic X1-3D
HeadphonesSteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless
KeyboardCustom 60% build — TOFU60, PBT Cherry Milkshake
MouseLogitech G G502 X Lightspeed
WebcamLogitech C925e

Home Office Furniture & Desk Accessories

ItemModel
TableDesktronic Home Pro
ChairDesktronic SitPro
Desk padAliExpress
Headphone standAliexpress
Pen holderMy own design
Desk lightMy own design with a base I had lying around
Jaguar headSouvenir from Mexico 🙂
Cat toast artworkEtsy

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My maker station revolves around an electrically‑height‑adjustable Desktronic Home Pro and the freshly built PC I’ve nicknamed Nebulosa Blanca.

A single 32‑inch LG UltraGear 32GS95UE‑B OLED floats on an Arctic X1‑3D arm, framed by a minimal black‑and‑white palette that carries through the whole setup.

When putting Nebulosa Blanca together, I chased both looks and airflow.

The Cooler Master Qube 500 flat‑pack case swallows a hefty Noctua NH‑D15.

The PC is paired with an RTX 4080 SUPER and an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, all linked on an NZXT N7 B650E motherboard.

Two Arctic P12s and four P14s keep the temps in check, while NZXT RGB strips add just enough glow.

Cable management always hurts, but the Qube allowed me to route everything before the final rivets.

The result: a case that looks dope, and not something that was assembled by a sleep‑deprived human

The cables outside of the PC are routed through a cable management tray I bought from Amazon.

Only one cable is visible from afar.

The lamp you can see on my desk is something I designed myself.

I reused the base from an old desk lamp I had lying around, added a smart bulb, and created a new translucent shell in 3D.

The design took me about an hour to make — nothing wild. I had a creative moment with Fusion and voilà, the lamp was born

It was a small side project, but I like how it turned out — it gives the space a nice glow and feels personal.

What’s your favourite item on your desk?

Without a doubt, it’s my custom mechanical keyboard — the one I obsessed over down to the last resonant clack.

It’s a 60% KBDfans case — compact, weighty, and anodised.

Under the caps sit stealth‑black linear switches, tuned and lubed until each press feels like silk meeting steel.

Up top: Cherry Milkshake keycaps in pastel and creams.

The whole board is tethered by a braided, coiled aviator cable — more art piece than accessory — arching gracefully across the desk before snapping into the port with a reassuring click.

That board isn’t just a tool.

It’s a manifesto.

Every keystroke carries the intention I poured into building it, turning routine emails and code into something that feels quietly ceremonial.

On busy days, it’s the anchor that reminds me work can still be tactile, personal, and — yes — beautiful.

What apps or tools do you use to get things done?

My software stack is as eclectic as my hardware.

Figma rules for quick UI flows, while Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom handle everything visual.

When it’s code time, I jump into VS Code, and for 3D modelling, I use Fusion 360.

Otherwise, just the usual office stuff.

What movies or games have recently caught your attention?

Let’s pick three titles…

First, The Last of Us — I’m replaying Season 1 to prepare for the upcoming Season 2.

I absolutely loved the games, and the series is just brilliant.

Then there’s Indiana Jones & the Great Circle. What a game!

Finally, Flow — Gints Zilbalodis’ wordless, painterly film about a lone cat drifting through a flooded world.

Any tips for other makers who want to improve their workspaces?

Never underestimate the quiet power of cable management.

Also, invest in a standing desk — your back will thank you.

What does your typical day look like?

Mornings kick off with a meticulously poured flat white (latte‑art swan, if the milk behaves).

Until noon, I’m heads‑down in product matters.

Lunch is either a 5K run or a quick cook‑up, followed by an afternoon split between product discussions and other business‑related matters.

Evenings are admin‑hour, gym‑hour, or movie‑hour — whichever the energy bar allows — before I tinker with side projects.

Your tips for working from home?

Rituals beat willpower: starting the day with that coffee‑making ceremony flips my brain into “work” mode.

Keep your desktop empty. On macOS, a one‑liner hides every icon — priceless when screen‑sharing:

defaults write com.apple.finder CreateDesktop -bool false && killall Finder

Finally, invest in aesthetics: the space you stare at eight hours a day should reward you for looking.

And keep it clean, too.

We’re a reader-supported publication. This article might contain affiliate links. It means we may receive a commission if you click a link and buy a product that our maker has recommended. The interview was done independently.

Francesco is a maker, engineer, and 3D printing enthusiast passionate about building tools and spaces that inspire creativity. With a background in software development and hands-on hardware projects, he explores the intersection of digital fabrication, productivity, and modern workspaces. When he’s not designing or experimenting, Francesco shares insights to help others create smarter, more efficient environments for work and making.

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