I'm always on the lookout for old design magazines and catalogues as they always tidbits and valuable information about items that might not yet be identified or even known. Many years ago I started looking for a thin magazine issued four times per year between 1955 and 1964 by the company Asko Tehtaat Oy, which I've … Continue reading The Asko magazine 1955-1964
Tag: design
The golden age of Finnish design at the Triennales
Ever so often there's a design and architecture exhibition held in Milan, Italy called the Triennale and from 1933 to 1964 Finland triumphantly cleaned out the awards table. Suddenly the world saw Finland in a different light and it gave the country a much needed confidence boost. Many of the awarded items and exhibits have since … Continue reading The golden age of Finnish design at the Triennales
Our home in Tapiola and its history
In November of 2014 we quickly decided that we needed more space and started looking around for something that would fit our needs: > 100 m2, well planned, good location and architecturally pleasing. But we quickly found that there few houses on the market of this size in the area and the ones we found didn't … Continue reading Our home in Tapiola and its history
On the concentration of good stuff in the hands of the few
"The rich get richer faster than the poor get richer. This is because returns to capital are greater than the growth of income. So over time inequality increases." - Thomas Piketty The economist and author Piketty has outlined how wealth is concentrated to a few and it got me thinking about design about how much of … Continue reading On the concentration of good stuff in the hands of the few
Eva Hidström – enamel designer
As often it's a random thriftstore find that leads me onto a path to discover a designer or a manufacturer that I never knew before. This time it was Eva Hidström (1930-). Today's #thriftbreak yielded a small enamel plate by the little known silver smith and jewellery designer Eva Hidström. Exquisite. A photo posted by … Continue reading Eva Hidström – enamel designer
Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs – a designer unknown
I stumbled across the designer and architect Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs many years ago when I saw his lounge chair and sofa combination at a local flea market. This is more than 10 years ago and I could probably had them for nothing, but I didn't pick them up. They were well made and had a certain … Continue reading Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs – a designer unknown
Finel – beautiful colorful enamel products from Finland
Finel is a trademark under which Wärtsilä and Järvenpää Emali sold enamel metal items such as bowls and pots starting in the early 1950s. At first the designs had to be bought from abroad but soon Wärtsilä's subsidiary company Arabia assigned well known designers to make new models. Designers such as Seppo Mallat (pots and … Continue reading Finel – beautiful colorful enamel products from Finland
5 Finnish design companies that sort of just vanished
There's been a number of legendary design companies in Finland and some of them are even still around - companies like Artek, Orno, Vivero, Arabia, Taito, Martela and Skanno to only name a few. But then there are those who made epic stuff just to quietly fade away and never be heard of again. Here are five … Continue reading 5 Finnish design companies that sort of just vanished
Designers hanging out together
MemphisThe Memphis Group was an Italian design and architecture group founded in Milan by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 that designed Post Modern furniture, fabrics, ceramics, glass and metal objects from 1981-1987. Here they are hanging out in the Tawaraya boxing ring bed by Masanori Umeda, a Japanese architect collaborating with Memphis at the time. and … Continue reading Designers hanging out together
Photos of designers sculpting prototypes
I admire designers who back in the day got down and dirty with their designs. When they needed to make a prototype they made it out of plaster, wire, wood, cardboard or anything that would hold up. These are images of designers hard at work at future classics, without a computer in sight. Respect. Eero … Continue reading Photos of designers sculpting prototypes
