In the 1950s, Scandinavian design left an imprint. Maintaining the value of craft and quality materials, designers like Aalto, Jacobsen, Jensen, Juhl, Henningsen, Panton and Wegner championed ideals put in place by early modern movements – such as the Bauhaus. Though production houses like Arabia, Artek, Bang & Oulfsen, Hay, Iittala, Kvadrat and Marimekko continued this legacy into present day, Scandinavian design remained relatively stagnant for decades. Over the past few years, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish creatives have revived the region’s architecture, cuisine, fashion, and design scenes. Here’s a selection of innovative designs from the cold north.
Daylight Entrance by Daniel Rybakken
Trained in both Sweden and Norway, Daniel Rybakken exemplifies what it is to be Scandinavian but doesn’t stop there. His work explores the nuance of light, reflection and space. Daylight Entrance mimics the shape of projected sunlight as a build-in light source for a dark stairwell.
Handmade Furniture by Snickeriet
Stockholm-based Snickeriet combines the expertise of two carpenters and two furniture designers. This collaboration makes for a close-knit production process, reflected in their first collection – Handmade Furniture. Though craft remains the main focus, corky details are often evident.
Novemberdesk by Louise Campbell
Anglo-Danish designer Louise Campbell’s ‘twist on everyday’ objects reflect Scandinavian rationality. Finnish brand Nikari commissioned 12 designers to develop a piece for each month of the year. She created Novemberdesk – for the time of year, we stay indoors.
Cutting-edge design trio Front recently developed a permanent installation at the entrance of Stockholm’s Kristinebergsparken. Street lamps were altered to resemble the organic shape of grass. Clustered poles support illuminated globes.
Lego House by Bjarke Ingles Group (BIG)
It only seems fitting that one of Denmark’s most prominent architecture firms has been tasked with designing Lego’s museum – one of the country’s most iconic exports. BIG has devised an interlocking and overlapping scheme reflecting the toy brand’s philosophy.
White Collection by Ville Kokkonen for Artek
Using fluorescent tubes rather than incandescent bulbs, Artek designer Ville Kokkonen found a solution for dark winter days in his native Helsinki. The new light collection simulates the intensity, colour and projection of daylight.
Hendrik Vibskov Retrospective at Helsinki’s Designmuseo
One of the Finnish capital’s most sacred design institutions – Designmuseo – will host a retrospective of interdisciplinary fashion designer Hedrik Vibskov’s work (featured in Frame #96). The Dane’s genre-defying clothing collections, costume designs, and scenographic installations will be on display.