Newcomer 2017
Design meets Newcomer. Interesting answers can only be had by asking those unexpected questions. This is why we are always especially inquisitive about design students. New designers with new ideas. Our Newcomer award offers young designers the opportunity to set up a platform from where they can make their furniture design known.
THE BREAKTHROUGH Sanna Gripner and Märta Hägglund talk about the Newcomer project, design and doors of opportunities. We created the Newcomer award to give young designers
How did you get in contact with Materia?
What makes Park unique?
an international platform to reach out and create a name
”We had an exhibition stand in the Greenhouse at the Stockholm
”Park has a design that most people would recognise, but we have
Furniture Fair showing a school project and visited Materia’s
added a twist to make it interesting and different. We have created
stand, where Lean In, last year’s Newcomer of the Year, was on
an upholstered park bench as an interpretation of perhaps the
display. We really liked Materia’s design and at the same time
most public piece of furniture. Our research indicated to us that it is
we were also very impressed with those working in their stand.
a very common piece of furniture, which also looks very much the
They were pleasant and open to new ideas. They seemed honestly
same in different parts of the world.”
for themselves in an extremely competitive industry. The winner for 2017 is Park. Behind Park you find two recently graduated designers from Beckmans, Sanna Gripner and Märta Hägglund. Here is what they have to say about the design, collaboration and the future.
interested in us. We felt straightaway that we would really like to work with Materia as a first step in our degree project. And this
How did Park change in the process from idea
is what happened and it was during this process that Park was
to the product now manufactured?
developed. The result was so good that we even used it when
”We have worked a lot on making Park an ergonomic seating
we applied for the Newcomer award.”
solution and have tried through trial and error working together with Materia to find the right dimensions. For instance, the
What inspired Park?
distance required between the slats to make the sofa comfortable
”Materia’s speciality is upholstered furniture. We felt that this was
to sit in while still retaining its spacious impression. The slats are
something to take advantage of while coming up with something
made of steel tubing with a cover made of soft polyurethane foam
new. It is normally the case in public areas that fittings such as
upholstered with fabric.”
plants and natural materials are also used indoors. This is why we focused on outdoor design. We were inspired by the spacious
What do you think the award will mean for
designs used in this type of furniture and especially in the classical
your careers?
park bench which we fell for.”
”It will mean a lot. The feeling is that it will open doors to more opportunities. It has already meant that we have learned much about the manufacturing process and how to prepare a piece of furniture before it is put into production. This has been a very useful experience. There is also great value to be gained by being on display with the Materia brand and our sofa reaches a larger
Previous Newcomers
Lean In wall bench Kaja Solgaard Dahl, 2016
Boullée stool Anders Johnsson, 2015
Frame easy chair Ola Giertz, 2014
Mimic bench Nathalie Adenling, 2013
Ola table Akka, 2011
Platon stool Lucas E Hinnerud, 2010
Coat easy chair Fredrik Färg, 2009
Silent Whisper table Sigrid Strömgren, 2008
audience. We are really looking forward to launching Park.”
Limpan stool Frida Ottemo Fröberg, 2008
Group of Trees room divider Form Us With Love, 2007
Ava conference table Märta Friman, 2006
Bin waste basket Front, 2006
Application for Newcomer 2018. If you have an innovative idea we can make it real. As Newcomer 2018, your product is manufactured by us and presented to the world through our platforms. This is hopefully only the beginning of a long-term collaboration. Submit your entry at materia.se/en/newcomer no later than 1 August 2017. If you have any questions or would like to present your idea to us in person please contact our product development manager by emailing krister.j@materia.se Best of luck!
Switchboard Tel +46 140 - 38 56 00 Fax +46 140 - 38 56 01 Postal address Materia AB PO Box 340 SE-573 24 Tranås Visiting address Bredkärrsgatan 7, Tranås, Sweden