TFP Report: Stockholm Furniture Fair 2020

Stockholm 2020

Stockholm 2020

Röhsska Chair, Bla Station

Twig

INTRODUCTION

Innovation, style and form — this Stockholm report offers The Furniture Practice’s insights on the stand out exhibitions and pop ups from across the fair and city, as well as key design themes, notable colour directions and product launches from over 50 furniture manufacturers.

Sustainability, tactility and workplace wellness took centre stage at February’s Stockholm Furniture and Light Fair, which takes place each year in the Älvsjö district of the Swedish city and welcomes roughly 40,000 visitors from 60 countries each year. Whilst the soothing colours, natural materials and simple forms that distinguish Scandinavia’s design legacy were clearly seen, one key question was posed repeatedly by 2020’s on-display brands: how do we design furniture that balances longevity with innovation?

From the Guest of Honour’s legacy-rich installation to this year’s key exhibition — Redefining the Office — this question was reflected throughout the exhibitors’ halls, with several stands showcasing adaptable designs built to last. Journalist Dan Gordon’s exhibition, 70 Years of Scandinavian Design reflected on the legacy of the region’s most beloved pieces from the last few decades, whilst the Greenhouse’s up-and-coming ateliers explored the future of modern design.

How do we design furniture that balances longevity with innovation?

Guest of Honour: Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien

Entrance installation, Doshi Levien

Photography by Jonas Lindström

EXHIBITIONS

GUEST HONOUR

OF

For the last 17 years, the Design Fair has invited a prestigious designer or architect to create an installation for the fair’s Entrance Hall and for 2020, the honour fell to London-based design duo Doshi Levien. Run by partners Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien, the studio is internationally recognised for its crosscultural and thoughtful approach to multi-disciplinary design.

Combining their inherent understanding of form, colour and technique, the duo’s designs are characteristically wistful; a perfect balance between beauty and form.

A palatial structure made from plywood, the exterior of the installation presided impressively over the fair, with only the gauze-like curtains — a new collaboration between the designers and Kvadrat — hinting at the more dreamy interiors within. The interior paid homage to the duo’s extensive and impressive project portfolio — notable pieces such as the Do-Maru for B&B Italia and Earth to Sky lighting installations were displayed alongside product sketches and illustrations, all of which perfectly actualised the studio’s concept-to-product process.

The duo’s designs are characteristically wistful; a perfect balance between beauty and form.

Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien

Entrance Hall installation

Photography by Jonas Lindström

Speaking of their process, Doshi described herself as “a very visual person — beauty is everywhere if you know where to look for it,” whilst Levien explained that, for him, “making has always been a crucial part of my design process. I think with my hands.” This symbiosis between vision and craft was clearly visible, as were the pillars of simplicity, function and artisanry that clearly mark Scandinavian design.

Entrance Hall installation

“Making has always been a crucial part of my design process. I think with my hands.” —Nipa Doshi

Earth to Sky lighting installation

Entrance Hall installation

Photography by Jonas Lindström

SCULPTOR’S

THE RESIDENCE

Collaborating with Copenhagen design studio Norm Architects, DUX and MENU created The Sculptor’s Residence concept: a beautiful central Stockholm apartment space designed to look like the home of an artist atelier. Each piece within was carefully curated, bringing together a mixture of contrasts: soft and rigid structures; pale marble and dark wood; smooth leather and dappled fabric; natural light and man-made shadow.

Images courtesy of Menu

Hashira Table Lamp, Menu

Knitting Chair, Menu

Anna Table, DUX

Lunaria Table, DUX

Marble Plinths, Menu Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

THE ARCHIVE

Opening its doors to the public is a rarity, so the Old National Archives’ exhibition in collaboration with Japanese studios Ariake and 2016/Arita and Danish design houses LE KLINT and Friends and Founders was one of Stockholm Design Week’s highlights. Displayed against the stunning backdrop of the Archives’ 1890s building, the project was a perfect example of the way in which contemporary furniture can compliment traditional architecture. Drawing on the similarities between Japanese and Scandinavian design, the pieces showcased were sleek and minimalist.

The project was a perfect example of the way in which contemporary furniture can compliment traditional architecture.

Images courtesy of Grand Relations

La Pipe Lounge, Friends & Founders

Braid Sofa, Summit Lounge Chair, Paperwood Side Table and Sake Tables, Ariake

Blending sleek sixties charm with elegant Art Deco, the Gubi Lounge featured in the At Six Hotel was a glorious mix of dreamy pastels and suave metallics. Showcasing pieces such as the Sejour Lounge Chair, Epic Tables and Wonder Sofa, Gubi’s collaboration with the luxury boutique hotel transformed the lobby into an area of sumptuous retreat.

LOUNGE

GUBI AT SIX HOTEL

Photography courtesy of Gubi

A glorious mix of dreamy pastels and suave metallics.

Sejour

Bat Dining Chairs, Gubi

Stay Sheepskin, Gubi

Wonder Sofa, Gubi

Coco Bar Chair, Gubi Stockholm 2020 Stockholm

DESIGN

Each year, the Design Bar explores the relationship between aesthetics and gastronomy by pairing a prolific designer with a fine dining experience. This year saw local creative Fredrik Paulsen team up with chefs Marion Ringborg and Linn Söderström from pop-up restaurant Garba to create a vibrant and playful theme perfectly in tune with the experimental menu. Drawing inspiration from fun-fairs around the world, Paulsen’s pairing of mint green, canary yellow and vibrant purple made for a candy coloured retreat away from the bustle of the fair outside. Taking inspiration from “the dreamy places where the sun never sets,” Paulsen’s unique vision matched perfectly with Ringborg and Söderström’s tapas-style menu, transporting guests to a world of tin-roofed havana bars and sunbleached Riviera eateries.

Paulsen’s pairing of mint green, canary yellow and vibrant purple made for a candy coloured retreat away from the bustle of the fair outside.

Fredrik Paulsen

The Design Bar

The Design Bar

Portrait by Martin Ulvbäck

Photography by Jonas Lindström

In homage to the newly reopened Swedish Design Museum, Paulsen collaborated with Bla Station to create the Röhsska chair for the dining area — the perfect balance of industrial practicality and artisanal flair, made from entirely Swedish materials and craftsmanship. Illuminating the rainbow display of seating was bespoke luminaire designed for Nordic Light Hotel — a geometric shape made from contrasting chrome and wood in cooperation with ateljé Lyktan.

The Design Bar

Transporting guests to a world of tin-roofed havana bars and sun-bleached Riviera eateries.

Röhsska chair, Bla Station

Röhsska chair, Bla Station

The Design Bar

Photography by Jonas Lindström

Photography courtesy of Bla Station

THEMES

WORK

SOFTER SPACES Themes Themes 30 31

Exploring the idea of the workspace as a human-centred rather than spatial concept was at the core of this year’s Redefining the Office exhibition, which was curated and designed by architecture firm Tengbom. Its rumination on the role of the workplace as part of a cloud-based reality permeated several other showcases too, with many exhibitors showcasing workspace furnishing styles that are more inviting and community-based than traditional office interior design.

Design that feels comfortable; that encourages creativity, fluidity and collaboration lies at the heart of our modern interior needs and as the line between work and living has softened, so must the furniture. This year’s fair saw designers exploring the use of more feminine curvature alongside tactile fabrics and materials; both of which help to create the inviting, homely working environments the professional world is now moving towards. These included Bla Station’s new Still Life chair, complete with gently curled back and Fogia’s ‘Hood’ collaboration with TAF Studio: a striking combination of pillowy soft upholstery and elegant metal framework.

“Humans are social creatures by nature — we have a natural urge to gather. The role of the office is set to change — its future lies in becoming a place of meeting, rather than in being a purely functional space.”

Hood Chair, Fogia

Stay Lounge Chair, Gubi

Dapper Armchair, Mitab Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Designers are now rising to the challenge of long-term interior solutions: developing long-lasting furniture that remains adaptable and able to keep up with the work environment metamorphosis.

SUSTAIN–ABILITY

Working towards a sustainable future is one of the greatest challenges of modern furniture design. Last year’s focus on the materials themselves was still going strong but with an added discussion around longevity and the idea of product life extension. Through the creation of versatile, flexible pieces, designers are now rising to the challenge of long-term interior solutions: building long-lasting, sustainably made furniture that remains adaptable and able to keep up with the work environment metamorphosis.

Durability and timelessness underpins this new concept and was illustrated throughout the fair. Tarkett led the way with its recycled flooring installation and vision to become a fully circular company that uses waste as resources. Vestre also exemplified this pursuit with its entirely reusable display (an effort that won the brand the brand an Editors’ Choice Award), as did Fritz Hansen’s NO2 — a stackable chair made using circular plastic (previously recycled plastic that can be recycled again) made in collaboration with Japanese studio nendo.

Storia Stool, Nikari

Recycled Fenix Flooring, Tarkett

The Componibili storage element by Kartell clearly reflected this concept with its eco design and multiway-usage, whilst Pedrali’s new Folk series easily tapping into the playfulness of collaborative, flexible working with its bold colours and dissemble-fit construction, which allows for recycling and component repurposing. Though designed in 2012, the striking single form Juno Eco chair from Arper proved ever-relevant, offering a space-saving solution that was both smart and future-proof.

2 Chair, Four Design

Tarkett, Natural Bond Display

Fourcast

N02 Chair, Fritz Hansen

Storia Stools, Nikari

Folk Series, Pedrali

Componibili, Kartell Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

ORGANIC FORMS

The increase in digital connectivity has brought with it a more urgent desire to disconnect physically; something that businesses are now looking to address in their use of materials and products within the workplace. This year, brands again turned to biophilic design — the concept of increasing human connectivity to the surrounding environment by replicating organic form within design — to soften the feel of the professional space, using natural silhouettes, colours and textures to create pieces that encourage both productivity and comfort. This manifested in the form of pronounced arches and exaggerated curves, both of which were seen in several new product designs.

The cocoon-like structure of Mitab’s Maki Lounge Chair combines minimal elegance with ease whilst Hyg’s new shell chairs turned to a natural palette of grey, olive and sand and a whimsical silhouette of deep curves.

Arkad, Zilio A&C

Hyg Shell Chairs, Normann Copenhagen

Hyg Shell Chairs, Normann Copenhagen

Zilio A&C’s Arkad modular bench system juxtaposed a rounded, art-deco, shelllike form with bold, textured fabrics whilst Zilencio’s Delta lamp showed gently sculpted circular forms. BAUX also enjoyed the theme, presenting ‘The Temple of Sound’ — an impressive and playful display in which Baux’s sustainable sound absorbers appeared as stained-glass windows.

Throughout the fair, drooping flowers were seen silhouetted within light design and the natural form of beech, ash and pine were celebrated within several collections, most notably at stands such as Gemla and Hem.

Maki Lounge Chair, Offecct

Maki Lounge Chair, Offecct

Arkad, Zilio A&C

BAUX’s ‘Temple of Sound’ Display

Delta, Zilencio

COLOUR DIRECTIONS

CLASSIC

Arkad, Zilio A&C

Pantone’s 2020 colour of the year — which was chosen to ‘instill calm, confidence and connection’ — was seen accented throughout in various forms, from the Natural Bond flooring installation at Tarkett to the Block loveseat designed with Atelier Alba by Fogia. Pantone’s additional colour notes on the 19-4052 hue — dependability, stability and restfulness — also perfectly complemented the fair’s focus on designing for a sustainable future.

Classic Blue — chosen to ‘instill calm, confidence and connection’

Ogeborg Exhibition

Block Chair, Fogia

Pair Tables, Mobel Copenhagen Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

The 1970s inspired forms and colour palettes from last year were again prevalent amongst many of this year’s displays, with a tone on tone theme also coming through. We saw layered beige hues at New Works, Nikari and String; and the introduction of dusty peach, yellow and mustard tones at Swedese, Skandiform and Bla Station.

TONE

String System, String

Bobby, Bla Station

String System, String

Amstelle, Swedese

Bobby, Bla Station Stockholm 2020 Stockholm

More forthright displays were seen colour blocking, with a focus on the primary colours of red, blue and yellow giving them a modern industrial feel or juxtaposing the more whimsical and less structured designs. The Andreu World Dado Curve Sofa played with ochre yellows and burnt oranges whilst Fogia transformed the simple form of its new Supersolid collection with its slash of vibrant red.

Dado Curve Sofa, Andreu World

Artek Display

Dado Curve Sofa, Andreu World

Supersolid Table, Fogia

Lounge Seating

Canvas Chair, Fredericia

Rap Lounge Chair, Andreu World

Pinzo Chair, Bla Station

Boomerang Lounge Chair, &Tradition

Cocoon Chair, ATBO

Desert Lounge Chair, Ferm Living

Lyra Chair, Fogia

Block Chair, Fogia Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

TMBO Lounge Chair, Mazo

Ditzel Chair, Fredericia

Canvas Chair, Fredericia

Humble Chair, Gemla Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Dapper Armchair, Mitab

Stay Lounge Chair, Gubi

Sense Armchair, Mitab Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Shift Wood, Offecct

Oaki Lounge Chair, Northern

Maki Lounge Chair, Offecct Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Gesture Lounge, Warm Nordic

Amstelle, Swedese Stockholm

Focus Pod, Zilencio

Dwell, Warm Nordic Stockholm

Sofas & Modular Systems

Arkad, Zilio A&C

Dado Curve Sofa, Andreu World

Rap Sofa, Andreu World

Little Petra Sofa, &Tradition Stockholm

Bobby, Bla Station

Bobby, Bla Station

Bob Home, Bla Station

Park+, Bla Station Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

BM0865 Day Bed, Carl Hansen

BM1771 Bench, Carl Hansen

BM0488 Table Bench, Carl Hansen

BM0488 Table Bench, Carl Hansen

BM0865 Day Bed, Carl Hansen Stockholm

Kubika Modular System, Enea

Casework Sofa, Erik Jorgensen

Supersoft, Fogia

Supersoft, Fogia

Wonder Sofa, Gubi

Fourlikes Scooters, Four Design

Max Bench, Hem Stockholm

Kumo Modular Single Seater, Hem

Roadie, Massproductions

Suiseki Sofa, La Cividina

TMBO Sofa, Mazo Stockholm 2020 Stockholm

Eave Modular Sofa, Menu

Maki, Offecct

Dapper Sofa, Mitab

Waka, Offecct

Osaka, Offecct

Buddy Sofa, Pedrali

Arkad, Zilio A&C Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Chairs

Duna Chair, Arper

Drawn HM4, &Tradition

Nuez Chair, Andreu World

Drawn HM3, &Tradition

Nuez Chair (outdoor), Andreu World

Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Röhsska Chair, Bla Station

Alya Executive Chair, Andreu World

Duna Chair, Arper Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Juno Chair, Arper

Still Life Chair, Bla Station

Combo Stool, Bla Station Stockholm 2020

Miss Ahus, Bla Station

Noa Chair, Enea

Hood Chair, Fogia

Lotus Chair, Enea Kaiak Spin Wood Chair, Enea

FourCast 2, Four Design

BM61 & BM62 Chairs, Fredericia

Lily, Fritz Hansen

No2 Recycle, Fritz Hansen

Vico Duo, Fritz Hansen Stockholm

Falke Chair, Houe WNG Chair, Mazo

MZO Chair, Mazo Al Chair, Kartell

Missing Chair, New Works

Co Chair Chrome, Menu Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Harbour Side Chair, Menu

Afteroom Plywood Chair, Menu

Jamaica Series, Pedrali

Folk Chair, Pedrali

Ral Chair with Castors, Mitab

Twig Chair, Skandiform

Hyg Shell Chair, Normann Copenhagen

Soul Soft Chair, Pedrali Stockholm 2020 Stockholm

Norma

Candid

Aslak

Chair, Johanson Design

Chair, Artek

Chair, Zilio A&C

Rope Chair , Artek

Goma, Made by Choice

Pelican Chair, Johanson Design

Kendo Bar Chair and Stool, Hem

Arc Stool, Edsbyn Noa, Enea

Storia Stool, Nikari Stockholm

Hyg Shell Chair, Normann Copenhagen

Folk Stool, Pedrali

Soft Top Bar Chair, Skandiform

Harbour Counter Chair, Menu Stockholm 2020 Stockholm

Goma, Made by Choice

Spino, Skandiform

Johanson Design

Drop Leaf Table, &Tradition

Patch HW2 Table, &Tradition

Patch HW1 Table, &Tradition Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

BM1871 Table, Carl Hansen

Nuez Table, Andreu World

dB Pillar, Abstracta Stockholm

Lara Table, Fogia

Alle Round Table, Hem

Epic Table, Gubi Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Hekla Table, Houe

Colossus, Massproductions

Column Dining Table, Mazo

Harbour Column Dining Table, Menu Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Androgyne Table, Menu

Bastille Table, Mitab

Florence Dining Table, New Works Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Elinor Table, Pedrali

Affinity Table, Warm Nordic OC Table, Zilio A&C

Airisto Table, Made by Choice Stockholm

Coffee Tables

U Table, La Cividina

Pinzo Coffee Table, Bla Station

Supersolid Table, Fogia

Pinwheel Coffee Table, &Tradition

Supersolid Table, Fogia Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Epic Coffee Table, Gubi

U Tables, La Cividina

Pair Side Tables, Mobel Copenhagen

Florence Coffee & Side Tables, New Works Stockholm

Pebble Table, Zilio A&C

Mass Table, Northern

Plize Boxes, Made by Choice

Peak Table, Johanson Design

Airisto Side table, Made by Choice

Sake Table, Ariake

Notebook Sofa Table, Swedish Ninja

Notebook Sofa Table, Swedish Ninja Stockholm 2020 Stockholm 2020

Lighting & Accessories

Delta, Zilencio

MO Series, Carl Hansen

Trumpet, Abstracta

Nimbus Mirror, Menu

Componibili, Kartell

Tense Pendant Lamp, New Works

Lantern Globe Lamps, New Works

Material Lamp Collection, New Works

Balancer Light, Northern

Butterfly Wall Light, Northern

Karl-Johan Pendant Lamp, New Works

Howard Collection, Gubi Stockholm

Delta, Zilencio

Pile Lamp, Swedese

Laurel & Hardy, Zilio A&C

Pendant Lights, Artek Stockholm

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Pinwheel Coffee Table, &Tradition

A report by The Furniture Practice