MODi scandinavian modern furniture and design
WHAT IS SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN? functionality with grace and beauty CH07
ISSUE NO. 1 NOV/DEC 2013
CHAIR ISSUE
50 years 20 new editions
STAFFAN HOLM fascinated in poetry of crafts
STOCKHOLM
the city on fourteen islands MODi 1
PUBLISHER Steve Drake EDITOR Monica Collins CREATIVE DIRECTOR Monica Collins CONTRIBUTORS Bruno Mathsson Nina Kozel Karl Hansen Staffan Holm COPY EDITOR Mike Collins ADVERTISING INQUIRIES 1.855.595.7870 advertise@MODImagazine.se MODImagazine.se ONlINE RESOURCES facebook.com/MODIonline @MODIonline MODImagazine.se SUBSCRIBER SERVICES 1.855.595.7870 subscribe@MODImagazine.se MODImagazine.se All rights reserved. No part of MODI magazine may be copied, reprinted or repeoduced in any form without prior written consent from the publisher.
Editor’s Note
GREAT
design appreciation does not have it’s foundations in a way the product is made. The weight is put where feeling about design is right. It’s about creation of something which makes others want it without logic or understandable reason. Creation of a feeling of personal attachment to the product, that makes audience doing anything to get it. WE ENJOY “my home is my castle” approach to our living space. We fill it with our personalities, hopes and dreams. The selection process to make them our own, their feel of uniqness is usually driven by our character and changes with time, friendships we make and our families. SCANDINAVIAN FURNITURE DESIGN approaches functionality through excitment, and often presents itself in the most beautiful way. That’s what made it so popular globally and maintained modern look through the years. RELAX, sit back and appreciate your time spent on learning how Scandinavians enjoy everyday life. You might find that you are well connected to them.
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Feature WHAT IS SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN? Designs are kept simple and often stylise the local natural environment. Yet despite their symmetry and clarity, Scandinavian designs always radiate warmth and a distinct and homely cosiness.
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10 Current Issues
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Content
Feature Artist SPIN IT! STAFFAN HOLM Spin stool, higher, happier and more upholstered than ever.
CH07 The famous Shell Chair. Three-legged and beautiful; it’s a chair you’ll have for the rest of your life.
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STOCKHOLM
Trendy Places
Our pick of three the most important furniture design studios for you to be inspired.
STOCKHOLM
The royal Swedish capital of Stockholm is frequently referred to as one of the world’s most attractive cities.
Inspiring Corner BOOKS
Books about Scandinavian design and furniture. A great inspiration how to improve your space.
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Feature Artist
STAFFAN HOLM Swedish designer with studio in Gothenburg, Sweden, working with interior architecture, industrial design and furniture design. My fascination has always been about the poetry of crafts as well as of the wonders of new technology since they are both essential ingredients for the development of society. For me, really great design have never been all about the practical functions, but more about the emotional ones, more about commitment and attachment. Art or design? Well, does it really matter? All I know is that mass produced artifacts seldom really get the chance to root in our lives before new ones take their place.
We need get attached and fall in love, head over heels. I work with some of the best craftsmen in Sweden to meet the demands of my mission. My mission is to create design with more of the human qualities, that is: god, evil, emotion, humor, and a sense of a life of its own.
Following the successful launch of Spin stool last year, more additions were launched at Stockholm Furniture Fair 2012. The Spin stool is now available also as barstool, with five new colors and upholstered.
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Spin is a stackable lightweight stool that stacks in a spiral for as high as you dare.
Spin stool is the result of a collaboration together with Swedish company Swedese. The laminated veneer legs are bent in two directions and after many experiments and a great deal of effort.
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he stackable stool Spin is three-legged and has a famous predecessor but at the same timea totally unique radiance. The secret is in the leg construction. A structure that reveals that the author against all odds endeavoured a solution, which already on the drawing board seemed impossible. There are many unwritten rules about what can be done with wood. And laminating and bending veneer in two directions can be perceived as wasteful. The point of the stools wood technology construction, except that it is elegant, is that it hardly invites copying. Joiner’s art and the love of wood have been present as long Staffan Holm can remember. And the carpenter’s bench has been close to him since childhood. There were also role models. Grandpa was a carpenter, skilled at carving figures. Grandma encouraged early on carpentry grandson, gave him a lathe so
that he could soon start experimenting at home in the basement. The dream was to become a cabinetmaker. Staffans journeyman’s work is a cupboard in cherry wood with finger-jointed drawers and intarsia inlays. Still the idea of becoming a furniture designer didn’t occur to him yet. Rather, it was something meditative in the slow woodworking process and the tactile experience of wood that attracted. Eventually however, the realization that one could become a designer started to pull. After the third request, he was admitted at HDK, Gothenburg and ended up in a world where especially the dialogue with all involved peers came to give unexpected impulses, broadened interest in design and the ideas of sustainable development. As it is not enough just with shapes controlled by practical function.
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Current Issues
CELEBRATION OF AN ICON CH07
The Designer
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he advent of laminated and moulded wood in the 1930s made it possible to use this type of wood for furniture production. Some of the masters of that time in this field were Alvar Alto of Finland and American Charles Eames, from whom Wegner drew much of his inspiration. Wegner created the forerunner to the Shell Chair based on a proposal he had created for a design competition held by
Hans Jørgensen Wegner, (1914-2007) was a world renowned Danish furniture designer. His high quality and thoughtful work, along with a concerted effort from several of his manufacturers, contributed to the international popularity of mid-century Danish design.
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History Designed by Hans J. Wegner in 1963 for the annual Furniture Guild Exhibition in Copenhagen.
While some critics loved the avant garde design, the general public was reluctant to accept the chair's bold and different design.
Initial sales were poor and it was only produced in limited quantities during the 1960s.
In the early 1990’s the "Three legged Shell Chair" began to attract handsome prices at international auctions.
When Carl Hansen & Son re-introduced the chair in 1998, it immediately won several design awards as well as broad public appeal.
CH07 work with every space. It brings a fresh modern look
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Wegner's Shell Chair celebrates its 50th anniversary in September 2013 and in honor of this special occasion, Carl Hansen & Søn partnered with Maharam, the leading North American textile resource, to curate a unique collection showcasing the stylish versatility of this iconic piece.
the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1948. 15 years later, the Shell Chair as we know it today was presented at the Cabinet Makers’ Guild Furniture Exhibition on 20 September 1963. The aim of the design was to create the perfect shell chair. The launch faced a mixed reception due to the chair’s striking appearance and the high expected costs of production. The chair’s supporters acclaimed the impressive and elegant expression and unique silhouette and comfort.
The three-dimensional design are best viewed from all angles, meaning that it will look good in a large lounging area or living room where its back will also be visible.
The result is an almost floating apperance with soft lines and organix expression. This design cemented Wegner as one of the greatest furniture designers of his day, not just in Denmark but on the international furniture scene. The Wegner CH07 Lounge Chair can be used to complement your existing lounge furniture or as an elegant standalone piece. Its minimalist lines bring a sophisticated, sleek look to any room, so don’t limit it to the lounge. Group three or more together for business meetings or relaxing times with friends. Or use one in the bedroom as a comfortable reading chair. MODi 13
Maharam Massive Paisley Shell Chair
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Maharam Cobblestone Shell Chair
Maharam Alpine Stripe Shell Chair
Maharam Centric Shell Chair
Maharam Disperse Shell Chair
Nonetheless, it took the Shell Chair 35 years to make its popular breakthrough in 1998, although it has since received numerous awards. Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son, bears testimony to the design’s great success: “The Shell Chair is unique in terms of both comfort and form and has always been one of my personal favorites. In recent years, I have witnessed the rising popularity of this sculptural classic, and am pleased that more and more people are discovering this iconic Wegner chair. The international demand we are currently seeing demonstrates that Wegner truly was a visionary designer.�
Maharam Metric Shell Chair
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Feature
WHAT IS
SCANDINAVIAN
DESIGN
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n essence, Scandinavian Design refers to the design movement that emerged in the 1950s in Denmark, Sweden and Norway, as well as Finland and Iceland. Typical for Scandinavian design is beauty radiated through light colour, the ample use of wood, and minimalism and functionality. As early as 1947, at the legendary Milan Triennale, Scandinavian furniture, glass and house ware designs caused a big sensation. Following the exhibition, such items became internationally fashionable and influenced other directions in design. In particular, the travelling exhibition, Design in Scandinavia, which exhibited throughout the USA and Canada from 1954 through 1957, brought the public closer to Scandinavian Design and triggered a real Scandinavia-Hype. The evolution of the characteristic design stems from the history of Nordic countries. While the rest of Europe looked up to the nobles and the wealthy with all their opulence, northern Europe focussed on local materials and subtle and functional forms. The sense of practicality that flows into Scandinavian Design is a clear feature of this genre and contributed significantly to modern furniture and product design. MODi 17
EGG CHAIR 1958 designed by Arne Jacobsen
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An important factor in the development of its interior design lies in the fact that, for centuries, Scandinavian life revolved around the home. With a rough climate and long, cold winters, the home had to be a comfortable and cosy place of refuge. This led to the notion of good design, which combines beauty with practicality. The aesthetics of such designs was intended for everyone. The democratic and egalitarian design principles follow a Lutheran philosophy based on Protestant values of rationality and humanity. New Scandinavian Design During the 1980s, interest in classical Scandinavian Design waned. The 90s, however, experienced a renaissance of traditional ideals and concepts that reinterpreted Scandinavian design from a new angle. Traditional approaches such as intricate hand-made designs, perfect functionality and a democratic unity of shapes were combined with a tendency to treat objects as individual units of design. Despite such developments – or precisely because of them – determining whether antique furniture was made in the 50s can be difficult. Characteristics of Scandinavian Design & Furniture The three pillars of Scandinavian Design are: good design for everyone; beauty despite functionality; and optimal use of available resources. Designs are kept simple and often stylise the local natural environment. Yet despite their symmetry and clarity, Scandinavian designs always radiate warmth and a distinct and homely cosiness. This is something the Danes refer to as hygge, and is especially important to a Nordic lifestyle in light of the cold climate and long dark winters. Another effect of the harsh environmental conditions is the respect for nature and extensive knowledge surrounding nature that Scandinavians have come to acquire. The Scandinavian people have developed a responsive understanding of natural materials that allows them to use the available resources sensibly and sparingly. The primary material is wood, followed by granite, clay, leather, metal, linen, wool and furs, and the Nordic colour palette tends to be light and pale. Nature has also always been the mother of all Scandinavian design inspiration. It is for this reason that Nordic designers such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen and Tapio Wirkkala are considered pioneers of Organic Modernism.
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ANT CHAIR 1952 designed by Arne Jacobsen
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PANTON CHAIR 1959/1960 designed by Verner Panton
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Compared to the rest of Europe, Scandinavian countries became industrialised relatively late. But once the process began, it progressed rapidly. This meant that on the one hand, traditional crafts were preserved in their unadulterated form for longer. On the other hand, the modern objectivity and industrial aesthetics, popular in industrialised Europe, flowed directly into existing designs. Luxury, inasmuch as it existed, was radically dislodged by functionality; elements of Historism were replaced by Classical Modernism. Serial mass production helped foster the doctrine of good design for all. The evolution of Scandinavian design makes it clear why objects are often created using form-pressed wood, plastics, anodized or enamelled aluminium or pressed steel. Brugskunst versus Art for Art’s Sake Another central criterion of Nordic craft and design is its ambivalent position between attractiveness and simplicity. While refusing mundane, run-of-the-mill forms, Scandinavian design also denounces overblown and fancy effects. On the one hand, the forms are to appeal to our feelings, irrespective of whether the object at stake is a chair, a table or a preserve jar. On the other hand, however, the price should not determine its value. The essence of such a notion reaches back to the philosophy that good design should be an enrichment of our daily lives and not elevated to a status symbol. Modern Wood Tradition The objectivity of Bauhaus was always too cold and rigid for Scandinavian designers. For this reason, they tried to reinvent the modern forms in softer tones by using natural materials. For example in the 1920s, Alvar Aalto experimented with steel Bauhaus designs popularised by Marcel Breuer and Mies van der Rohe. Aalto exclusively used wood (mainly Finnish birch) for all his designs, from single pieces to laminated and bent plywood. One of the most popular representatives of modernist steel construction is Arne Jacobson who created, amongst other objects, the Ant chair. This piece of furniture bore forms that were softer than the rigid charm found in industrial design. New materials such as foam and plastic enabled him to later create the famous Swan and Egg armchairs. Scandinavian designers such as Verner Panton or Jacobsen utilised the properties and possibilities of these new materials. The Panton chair is a prime example of this new approach and stands as an example for all the colourful and fantastical plastic furniture that evolved in the 1960s. MODi 23
The Royal Palace is one of the largest palaces in Europe. It is the official residence of His Majesty the King of Sweden, with over 600 rooms.
Gamla Stan is one of the largest and best preserved medieval city centers in Europe, and one of the foremost attractions in Stockholm. This is where Stockholm was founded in 1252.
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SkyView is the new worldclass attraction that takes you to the top of the world’s largest spherical building, the Ericsson Globe, a Stockholm landmark.
Trendy Places
STOCKHOLM One of the most beautiful capitals in the world, Is built on 14 islands connected by 57 bridges.
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he royal Swedish capital of Stockholm is frequently referred to as one of the world’s most attractive cities. Its beauty is a result of its magnificent location, spread across fourteen islands in the heart of the spectacular Stockholm Archipelago. The combination of dramatic beauty, historic splendour and contemporary buzz gives Stockholm its unique attraction. In Stockholm you can experience the history and culture of several of our country’s great eras, from the Middle Ages on. The Stockholm of today is a dynamic, fast-growing, multicultural city. It is recognised internationally as a leader in the development of progressive innovations, trends and behaviour patterns in lifestyle, environment and, in particular, technology and communications. We often boast that Stockholm has all the advantages and assets of a contemporary world centre with few of the downsides and nuisances. Stockholm offers an enormous diversity of experiences, sights, attractions and nightlife. In terms of fashion, art, design, gastronomy and other creative pursuits, the Stockholm scene has — justifiably — received
plenty of publicity on the global stage in recent years. Today the city has two distinct nodes of urban creativity, culture and entertainment: one is the chic, established district around the squares of Stureplan and Norrmalmtorg, the city centre and exclusive Östermalm, and the other is the younger, trendier, more experimental and bohemian Södermalm. Still, what sets Stockholm apart most of all is its incomparable juxtaposition of sophisticated urbanism and wild, majestic nature. Untouched wilderness and magnificent marine worlds surround and crisscross Stockholm in all directions, including Ekoparken, the only urban national park of its kind in the world. The city’s extensive stretches of coastline, whether quayside or forested, are accessible for a stroll — or why not paddle a kayak alongside them, or navigate between them on ice skates in the winter. The water that surrounds the city is clean enough to swim in and fish from. Stockholm is a metropolis where you can enjoy the outdoors literally steps from a vibrant urbanity — and vice versa. It’s a happy combination that gives Stockholm a quality of life you won’t find elsewhere.
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FURNITURE AND INTERIOR STORES FOR INSPIRATIONS
CARL MALMSTEN Strandvagen 5b, Östermalm, Stockholm (00 46 8 233 380; www.c.malmsten.se). This designer opened his interiors boutique in the 1920s, and his work is enjoying a renaissance. The Farmor armchair (about £975), and the Hemmakväll sofa (from about £1,935) are design classics. The store also sells fabulous glasses, ceramics and textiles by contemporary Swedish designers. NORDISKA GALLERIET Nybrogatan 11, Östermalm, Stockholm (00 46 8 442 8360; www.nordiskagalleriet.se). This is where you'll find the very best contemporary furniture by Scandinavian designers. Limited-edition chairs are produced each year, and rapidly increase in value. SVENSKT TENN Strandvägen 5, Stockholm (00 46 8 670 16 00; www. svenskttenn.se). An established furniture, textile and lighting design company, Svenskt Tenn boasts its own lifestyle philosophy. The pieces are truly unique; embodying the creative culture the company has stuck to since its conception in the Twenties. The shop also regularly holds exhibitions for inspirational Stockholm designers. TEN SWEDISH DESIGNERS Götgatan 25, Södermalm, Stockholm (00 46 8 643 2504; www.tiogruppen.com). The signature of this collective of textile designers (which put a firm mark on fashion in Sweden during the 1960s) is bold, bright graphics that are applied to fabrics by the metre. The collection includes bags, accessories, clothes and bed linen.
FORM US WITH LOVE is a design studio operating from Stockholm. The studio was started in 2005 and has since pushed to challenge the conventional through design initiatives. FUWL partners with companies involved in the development and production of everyday objects, furniture and lighting. Clients include Scandinavian and international brands such as ateljé Lyktan,
SVENSKA RUM Nybrogatan 40, Östermalm, Stockholm (00 46 8 662 17 77; www.svenskarumantikt.se). The name means Swedish Rooms, and owner Leif Jansson is a big fan of Gustaviana from the 18th and 19th centuries.
STOCKHOLM DESIGN LAB is a multidisciplinary design agency. We create brand identities and solutions that build strong customer relationships. We combine strategic insight and proud craftsmanship of many kinds. We don’t differentiate between design, architecture, digital applications and other forms of communication. The perception of a brand is dependent on its slightest components. 26 MODi
We experiment, build, think and rebuild. We are organized to never compromise with the end result of our work. Quality in every component is what creates the experience of the brands we work with. We are based in Stockholm, but have always operated globally. Our work has been exhibited in New York, London, Tokyo, Berlin, Köln, Helsinki and Stockholm.
Bolon, Cappellini, DePadova, Muuto, Design House Sthlm and One Nordic Furniture Company. In 2012 Form Us With Love was named by Fast Company as one of the worlds 50 most influential designers shaping the future. In 2013 Form Us With Love was awarded “designer of the year” by ELLE Decoration Sweden.
Inspiring Studios STOCKHOLM
PASTOE Simplicity, timelessness, quality and craftsmanship have all been at the centre of Pastoe's philosophy for more than hundred years now. Since we were founded in 1913, we have been making progressive contemporary furniture that pays due attention to tradition and craftsmanship. And that applies as much to our cabinet systems and seating as to our tables. Pastoe invests in innovation and design to bring you surprisingly contemporary furniture that remains so. Durable aesthetics and a high standard of quality are concepts on which a lot of time is spent at Pastoe; by our furniture makers -with great care and knowledge-, and by our designers -with much passion and dedication. This is the source of our designs' strength. Well thought out and surprisingly simple furniture. Comfortable and easy on the eye, never intrusive and even remarkably familiar. Pure and fair, as if they've been around for years. Because a product needs to be more than its outward appearance. It needs personality; you should be able to love it, to get attached to it. The product needs to be able to age graciously. Pastoe stands for quality which has been reflected for decades in our design policy and the way we make our furniture. Quality in which we invest afresh every day, because we see renewal as a next step in the refinement of technology, or an addition to functionality. No cosmetic interventions but, quite to the contrary, an increase in visual and material durability. Pastoe understands as no other how valuable history is for the future. Our past is both a source of inspiration and of commitment. That is the task Pastoe has assigned itself. That's why we continue to invest consistently in innovation, simplicity and quality. In furniture of few words, in furniture for life. We trust that we can continue bringing you such furniture long from MODi now. 27
The best of design from Europe's neighbors to the north Scandinavians are exceptionally gifted in design. They are world-famous for their inimitable, democratic designs which bridge the gap between crafts and industrial production. The marriage of beautiful, organic forms with everyday functionality is one of the primary strengths of Scandinavian design and one of the reasons why Scandinavian creations are so cherished and sought after. This all-you-need guide includes a detailed look at Scandinavian furniture, glass, ceramics, textiles, jewelry, metalware and industrial design from 1900 to the present day, with in-depth entries on over 200 designers and design-led companies, plus essays on the similarities and differences in approach between Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark. Also included is a list of important design-related places to visit for readers planning to travel to Scandinavia.
SCANDINAVIAN FURNITURE
SCANDINAVIAN DESIGN 28 MODi
CHARLOTTE AND PETER FIELL
JUDITH GURA Scandinavia has been the source of some of the most important furniture designs of the 20th century. Today, a new generation of designers continues that tradition, creating pieces that are functional, comfortable and appealing to look at. This book updates the history of design in the Nordic nations, and illustrates more than 500 of the best current furniture from over seventy producers, most of them in full colour. It also includes detailed product specifications and sources, biographies of important Nordic designers, and a comprehensive bibliography. It will appeal to everyone with an interest in modern furniture, as well as designers, architects, collectors and students with a special interest in Scandinavian design.
SIMPLY SCANDINAVIAN
SARA NORRMAN Scandinavian interior design is admired the world over for its unpretentious simplicity and understated elegance. Homes are enviably relaxed and welcoming, filled with furniture and objects that are practical, functional, and beautiful—it’s a style that is totally in tune with today’s wish for calm, uncluttered spaces that are great to live in. Simply Scandinavian offers an indepth visual survey of 20 outstanding homes in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, ranging from tiny cabins to smart apartments. Each residence is represented as a case study, in chapters covering Elegant Simplicity, Pared-down Modern, Contemporary Rustic, and Vintage-inspired.
Inspiring Corner
Featured locations include homes belonging to renowned Finnish chef Aki Wahlmann and Swedish glass and ceramics designer Ingegerd Råman, along with fashion and jewelry designers, craftsmen, and antiques dealers. The accompanying text provides a fascinating insight into each home, describing its design, planning, and evolution and offers inspiring ideas for how to find and put together furniture and accessories to create a similar look in your home.
1000 CHAIRS CHARLOTTE AND PETER FIELL Chairs displayed on their own as pure form. An overview of the 20th century. More than any other piece of furniture, the chair has been subjected to the wildest dreams of the designers. The particular curve of a backrest, or the twist of a leg, the angle of a seat or the color of the entire artifact all reflect the stylistic consciousness of each era. From Gerrit Rietveld and Alvar Aalto to Verner Panton to Eva Zeisel, from Art Nouveau to International Style, from Pop Art to Postmodernism, the phenomenon of the chair is so complex that it requires a reference work as comprehensive as this to do it full justice. They are all here: Thonet’s bentwood chairs and Hoffmann’s sitting-machines, Marcel Breuer’s Wassily chair and Ron Arad’s avant-garde armchairs. The book devotes one page to each chair, displayed on its own as pure form, with biographical and historical information about the chairs and their designers. A special treat for anyone who loves design and a must for collectors!
NEXT ISSUE LAMPS
Title Up Object Table Lamp Client MUUTO Design TAF, Mattias St책hlbom Photo MUUTO Date 2013 30 MODi
STUDIO – Versitile seating by Ben van Berkel / UNStudio for Optimal Communication
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Hans J. Wegner
Monica Collins @ 2013
“A chair should have no rear view. It should be beautiful from all sides 32 MODi and angles.�