DESIGNRO » swedish design

Glimpt – exotic crafts and Scandinavian design

Iulia Constantin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:36:44 +0000

Do you want to step into a dimension full of fresh colors, merging exotic crafts and Scandinavian design? If you are searching for it, then look no further than up-and-coming Swedish design studio Glimpt. Situating themselves at the inception of a designers’ career, Mattias Rask and Tor Palm can boast about two wonderful collections of furniture and lightning: Forbidden Fruit and Superheroes.
Let me tell you briefly the story behind them. First of all, Forbidden Fruit was born because of the final exam the two designers had to pass. As they are both very fond of handmade and woodwork, it felt natural for them to make handicraft the point of departure for this first project. Moreover, they felt fed up of mass consumption items, and so, they involved themselves “at a deeper level”.

“This led us on to the idea of co-operating with craftsmen in poorer parts of the world, thus highlighting their handicraft and their cultural tradition and perhaps, in the long run, contribute to creating more work for the local craftsmen. When design and craftsmanship meet, we hope to create more attractive products for which you can charge more reasonable prices so that the local craftsmen get a fairer share than what is often the case.”

Without lingering anymore, they managed to get in contact with Furntech, South Africa’s Centre of excellence for the furniture industry, and their project, Forbidden Fruit, was accepted. To have a better knowledge and image of what they would have encountered in South Africa, they studied the wealth of traditional handicraft. Furthermore, they established contact to a ceramics studio called The Potter’s Workshop, whose work they found highly inspiring, and met different metal workers who really enjoyed the idea of working with them.

You can see the final outcome in the picture below, really fresh from head to toe…

As for the Superheroes – not an action movie, nor a Marvel comic book – the things flew much easier. Desiring to continue exploring the culture and craftsmanship of other countries, this time, Mattias and Tor headed to Vietnam. With the support of a Vietnamese furniture company called UMA, they were able to visit various artisans. 

Observing the craftsman method to create small bowls by fixing paper thread around rolls of seagrass,  the designers decided to personalize and scale-up the dimensions of this craft technique into furniture pieces.

And so, with the help from seagrass and plastic weavers in Ho Chi Minh city in Southern Vietnam, they have produced the collection Superheroes.

Presented for the first time at DMY Berlin 2011, the shade and the stool series are in production and available at UMA in Vietnam.

While most of the world is still wondering whether the design is all about conceptualizing and creating products for a consumer society without involvement at a deeper level, the Swedish duo is getting on with mixing up traditional craft techniques with contemporary design. Mattias Rask and Tor Palm strive to work with exotic artisans, this way creating objects with a story behind them, objects to remember and fall in love with. And now, all we have to do is wait and see what is their next check-point on the world’s map.

Forbidden Fruit, South Africa

The pendant lights feature ceramic shades that have been painted with tiny details representing strawberry pips. Above them, the cords are fitted with layers of colorful discs made out of lacquered wood.

Last Fruit Standing is the name of the adjustable floor lamp, which presents the same hand-decorated ceramic shade and a massive wooden rear. Its foot is also made out of wood and the cord is stitched to its length.

The Forbidden Fruit sideboard presents a yellow-painted drawer with massive wooden front.The legs are fixed in some grooves underneath the drawer, which make the mounting easier and the sideboard stable

The stool is made out of the same materials as the sideboard, and it has four metal legs that slot into grooves on the bottom side of the seat. Therefore, there is no need for screws and fittings.

Superheroes, Vietnam

The stools have an internal metal frame in which rolls of dried seagrass are wrapped to create the structural form.

The pendant lamp, a vibrant design that merges Vietnamese crafts with Scandinavian design.

Glimpt
Furntech
The Potter’s Workshop
UMA

A collection with true Finnish blood

Iulia Constantin — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:08:35 +0000

When you think of furniture and design, there are some pieces of work that you cannot confound with other. Sami Kallio truly desired that the result of his work could reflect a simple, clean style, an image that could exhale beauty, personality and uniqueness. His collection is entitled “The Finnish Blood in Me” and it really emphasizes the Finnish blood that runs in the objects’ “veins”.
Inspired by his childhood memories, the collection includes stools with legs like lollipop sticks, two wooden chairs, one with a twisted steel backrest and one inspired by the classic Windsor chair, and, last but not least, a very cool table lamp.

Stool represents a stackable stool made in turned metal and ash legs.

Layer is a stackable chair made from solid wood and lasercut aluminum sheets in different warm colours.

Sliced, an easy chair inspired by a classic Windsor Chair.It is made out of bended wood and solid ash.

Workshop, a beautiful table lamp made of untreated ash, where the cord is hidden inside the steam bended arm. The base is in metal and shade in aluminum. With the brass screw you can adjust the height on the arm. The shade is easy to be moved along the arm with the leatherband.

The Finnish Blood in Me represents “a collection where material and detail are in focus. Nothing strange or conceptual, just memories and function…” claims the designer.

Sami grew up in Finland and, now, he works as a freelance designer in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Sami Kallio Studio

Turn on the light: it’s Magika!

Iulia Constantin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:25:54 +0000

Sometimes, people may prejudge the worth or value of someone’s work. Don’t judge a book by its cover. It would be the best phrase applied for Kirsti Taiviola’s fascinating lamps.
During this year’s Milan design week, Kirsti exposed a new series of wall lamps entitled Magika, which combine steel and hand-blown glass. At a glimpse, the lamp turned off presents a simple glass ball which rests on a steel frame that can be turned freely in all directions. But the real magic reveals when you push the ON button: amazing kaleidoscopic floral patterns project on the wall.

The designs by Kirsti Taiviola have a detailed and sophisticated touch. The optics and the liquid nature of glass are the main sources of inspiration in her designs.

“Transparency and optics are the most inspiring qualities of glass material. I enjoy working with clear glass because it has a fascinating illusion of immateriality in it. When working with glass I merely work with light as the shape of an object forms out of reflections and refractions on the object’s surface. The biggest challenge was trying not to repeat the reflection patterns.”

“Although there is a pre-mould used in the manufacturing process, it’s hard to control the exact texture on the glass surface. When the texture changes a little, the projection changes more. I had to study which type of mold to use and how to control the glass blowing process so that it’s possible to create exactly the right texture on the glass surface every time.”

Taiviola always wants to develop a selection of different textures that would add variety to the projected patterns. When talking about previous projects based on the same technique, Aarre and Illusia are two other masterpieces of the Swedish designer.

Kirsti Taiviola graduated from The University of Art and Design Helsinki in 2001. Before starting her company SULA design in 2004 she has worked with glass as a freelance designer, craftsman and a research assistant. Currently, she is also a lecturer, teaching at The University of Art and Design in Helsinki.

Kirsti Taiviola
SULA

Household warmth

Cosmina Dinu — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:40:38 +0000

“Women know best what heat means” my colleague Mihai told me today when discussing about Hedvig af Ekenstam’s heating solutions. And I remebered my stack of blakets, duvets and flies, of different thicknesses and fillings, indutrially processed or hand woven, white or white with some color. I smiled like my dear always does when he sees me wrapping. They say woman’s body needs extra 5 degrees celcius than the man’s ones. Well, I can’t tell you anything scinetific on that, but I feel it…

Swedish designer Hedvig af Ekenstam learned unusual ways to integrate technology in some of her products. Her Knitted Radiator, Heating Curtain and Vacuum Cleaner designs all illustrate this well (you may remember prototypes from milan design week). Each product gives a softer and more human touch to common household devices.
The Knitted Radiator is designed using heating cables coiled to create a new type of radiator. The design is a flexible and lightweight screen that can be shaped to fit the user’s needs.
The Heating Curtain is another radiator design that is integrated into the curtains. The curtain is made from fabric and has a heating coil woven into it to provide heat.

The Vacuum Cleaner aims to be a softer and more attractive vacuum that users don’t want to hide.
the final solution has a textile body that expands when in use and can be slid along the floor. This product got all my enthousiasm through another aspect that that of space-saving. The textile bag is definately easier to produce, fewer resources and friendlier materials used.

Hedvig af Ekenstam

Fredrik Färg at Salone Satellite 2009 in Milan

Cosmina Dinu — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:55:25 +0000

First, I was attracted by its shape. And the very next second by its cover. Then, I learned its story.
Modus:cover is a cupboard distinguished by the fashion prevalent on the day it was built. The cupboard is covered with fashion magazines from its birthday, and is thereafter stained in black and varnished, and the magazines show through ever so slightly. A secret shelf inside the cupboard hides a magazine in original. The inspiration for this piece of furniture comes in part from the magical moment when one renovating an old house finds newspapers, as old as the house, behind the wallpaper. The historical context of the building suddenly stands before you!

Something seemed familiar at this cupboard and my intuition was right. The designer of Modus:cover is Fredrik Färg, whom I knew from Stockholm Furniture Fair. He is actually one of the winners of Glimåkra Designers Prize, distinction received for his Coat chair:

The intention with this chair was to fight against the trend of easy replacement of furniture and to create more confortable and durable pieces. Pieces that you fell in love with and you don’t get rid of them easily.

RE:cover – Bespoke dresses for old chairs.
On the same mindset, along with Modus:cover, Fredrik Fräg presented at Salone Satellite 2009 a range of found chairs rejuvenated with felt coverings.

The fabric structures are inspired by vintage tailoring.

The project looks to the beauty of those shapes that never change. Fredrik takes his inspiration from classic tailoring, such as suits and dinner jackets that never go out of style.

Material: Old chairs and a new cover of 100% recyclable polyester felt.

Fredrik Färg

Brikolör at Salone Satellite in Milan 2009

Cosmina Dinu — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:13:47 +0000

I won’t make a secret out of it – the most exciting part at Salone Internationale del Mobile in Milan is Salone Satellite – the place where upcoming designers exhibit. At least for me. So, no wonder I’ll start writing about the young designers met there just one week ago. Of course I will pay my tribute to the big and important producers, those making design available for the world and so on! But, later…
I’ll begin randomly – due to the amounts of flyers, business cards and press CDs collected. The first to send the press link were Brikolör. So, let’s take a look.

Brikolör makes a risky bet and propose a 300 years of durability guaranteed furniture. Here is their motivation:

“There is no concept outside the product itself. The question is rather: can there be such a thing as quality within? Is there a sort of soul of a product or furniture in itself? If so, how is that created? Is it when the many years experienced craftsman or designer builds something that truly matters to him or her? Can you feel any of that by looking at a particular piece of furniture? By touching its texture? Do we even need to experience that feeling in order to build a lasting relationship with the product?
Brikolör has the ambition to manufacture furniture with a guaranteed emotional and technical durability of 300 years. Milan 2009 marks the start of our ambition.
Brikolör will save the world.”

Pretty enthousiastic, huh? Well, I still wear the broch my grate-mother gave it to me. And it looks like my niece will wear it too. So, hardy but not impossible, isn’t it?
Let’s take a look at the “saviours”:

Hägg
Storage/cabinet in ash veneer. Plinth, iron-weighted. Pattern by Rasmus Hägg.

Pärlan
A chair made from turned solid ash. Laminated wood-sides. Varnished.

Alta-Alta
A stool with legs of solid ash

Lodlärk and Våglärk
Storage/cabinets in solid larch. Part-varnished/part untreated.

Brikolör are Victor, Mathias, Fredrik and Sami.
Victor Alm (b. 1975) is a trained carpenter and MFA from HDK, School of design and Crafts, Gotebörg University with additional education at Pratt University, New York,USA and at Rietvald Akademie, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Mathias Eriksson (b. 1981) is a project manager and partner of Sinnes advertising agency in Gotebörg, Sweden with education from from Nordiska School of journalism and Gotebörg University
Fredrik Hansson (b. 1981) is a carpenter and a partner as well as an architect of Okidoki Arkitekter. He is educated at Chalmers University of Technology, Gotebörg.
Sami Kallio (b. 1975) is a carpenter and a MFA from HDK, Gotebörg University. He is also educated at UIAH Helsinki, Finland. Sami was awarded the first price at Caiazza Memorial Challenge 2006 for his chair Stich.

Brikolör