The Reinvention of Finnish Design
Since the early days of Alvar Aalto and other notable designers, Finnish design has always focused on two basic concepts: simplicity and functionalism. Today’s youthful designers live in a much busier and hi-tech world and thus have been more focused on experimenting with new materials and processes to give Finnish design a more cosmopolitan look and feel.
Designers like Janne Kyttänen, Harri Koskinen and Ilkka Suppanen have all pushed the barrier into the new age of Finnish design. Janne Kyttänen utilizes the new ‘laser sintering’ process in Rapid Manufacturing to produce truly unique lighting and lamp shades for his Freedom of Creation company. Harri Koskinen continues to make simple things seem original as his one of a kind block lamps have done so for Design House Stockholm. Ilkka Suppanen has taken a simple candleholder and transformed it into an elegant fireplace for Iittala as part of their new ambient light collection. To read more about more these designers and the new age of Finnish design, please check out these two articles:
- North Stars: The New Generation of Finnish Designers
- North Stars: Ilkka Suppanen and the New Wit in Finnish Design
