Young Swedish Design for Svensk Form

The touring annual exhibiton Young Swedish Design, where 24 jury selected projects are on display, opens February 29 at Dunkers Kulturhus in Helsingborg. It is showcasing the most interesting contemorary young Swedish design and we have had the honour to create the exhibition concept. A compact, durable and spatial design that will host the upcoming three editions of the project.

Syksy glassware for Marimekko

A new series of glass items for everyday use is being launched in stores worldwide from August 2023. Focus has been on transferring the Marimekko legacy in printworks to the glass material.
Syksy means Autumn in Finnish.

Nappula planter for Iittala

The Nappula planter collection was first launced in early 2020. It now has a new wide family member with generous measurments. 24 cm wide and 13 cm high it has plenty of room for a large variety of plants. Available in brown, beige and white glaze.

StalaTex for Stala

“When working on new patterns for the innovative StalaTex concept the focus has been on creating patterns that contributes to an interior by being clear spatial graphic exclamation marks. I have studied the use of decorative patterns in architecture and tried to identify motifs and methods for how it can add a spatial dimension and an increased value to the stainless steel material.
I also wanted to continue the excellent work Stala already have executed in their previous collaboration with Harri Koskinen. His design, that seeks inspiration from nordic nature is refined and detailed, encouraging you to go close to get a full experience. My contribution to the StalaTex collection aim on broadening the perspective of the concept by doing the complete opposite. A succession where my work is representing the other end of the spectra.
I therefore decided to aim for abstract, big scale patterns and strong graphics clearly visible on a distance. At first sight the designs might seem simple but it was a big technical challenge to develop them for production. However that struggle in the end only made the outcome stronger.

When being put in a spatial context I believe this new collection could play a central role in creating an interesting visual, as well as functional, experience and I am amazed of how fresh and new the concept feels when now seeing it implemented in actual environments.

One could think that making patterns on a material would hide the materiality but I am fascinated by the fact that here it seems to be the complete opposite where the patterns enhance the steel materiality in an exclusive way I am very pleased with.

When evaluating the project it is natural to see possibilities beyond the kitchen counter top that is the natural home turf for Stala. It is very appealing to imagine the concept in entire interiors also in other surroundings. The soft quality the patterns add to the steel makes it very interesting to test also on furniture for domestic and public use. As a designer perhaps that notion of open ends and so much yet to explore is what has been the most exciting experience with this collaboration.”

Pedestal table for Design House Stockholm

Pedestal Table creates new space by exposing all kinds of objects on an easily movable piece of furniture.
All in massive oak in a choice of a natural finish or lacquered white or black, and made to stand for a long time. 'It doesn't require any effort to put together, I actually find the assembly of this flat pack table another quality to cherish. Just screw it together, or unscrew it,' says Matti Klenell who explains that: 'I made Pedestal Table years ago for myself because I needed something where to put my laptop and make it easy to move around. Then the table turned out to be much more versatile.
Use it for tea-cups, a flower vase, or whatever you fancy.

' Pedestal Table can be as low as 25, or grow up to 55 centimeters. The base has a sturdy piece of metal fastened underneath to ensure stability. The interconnecting bolts and nuts are integral parts of the design with no loose parts whatsoever. The use of real wood vouches for longevity, while at the same time recycling wood remnants in the workshop in making the spacers.

'It's a harmonious example of design,' says Anders Färdig, founder of Design House Stockholm, 'a self-evident addition that will find its use in any space. The geometrically shaped spacers have tangible heft and make it positively easy to change to any height one might need.'

2022 Sunne Municipality Culture Prize in memory of Göran Tunström

Matti Klenell is the recipient of the 2022 Sunne Municipality Culture Prize in memory of Göran Tunström.

"Matti Klenell has combined design, art and architecture in a rich and innovative way", reads the justification.

Göran Tunström counts as one of the most important Swedish writers of today. He was born in Värmland in 1937 and passed away in February 2000. Many of his books are published in several languages. He is also one of the most read and loved authors in Sweden.

Much of his writing originates from his hometown, Sunne in Värmland, Sweden, but it is only a backdrop for destinies of a more general nature and raises questions of a deep existential nature. His novels Juloratoriet (The Christmas Oratorio) and Tjuven (The Thief) are both examples of what could be described as the return of storytelling in Swedish literature, and one can sense here a kinship with Selma Lagerlöf’s fairy-tale storytelling that takes place in the same Swedish landscape.

The Prize ceremony took place in Sunne on June 6.

Putki in white

The Putki lamp produced by Iittala was originally created for the Swedish National Museum in Stockholm and successfully launched to the market in 2020. A special edition made in white opaque glass is now available and sold exclusevly through finnishdesignshop.com.

Matti Klenell
Stanna här en stund /Stay Here A While
Värmlands museum, Karlstad
17/5 - 31/10 2021

“There is a stage early in the creative process where I love to remain as long as possible. It is when the sketch begins to give the object that I work with a shape, but where the idea still revolves around a larger context about who, where and how it should be used. It is in the importance of place and space everything ends up. Not only the room where the objects are to be found, but also the space where they are made. It is a curiosity about the local and how you can respectfully interpret and pass that on in new directions. I stay for a while to then continue onwards. Quite often I return.”

Offecct + Matti Klenell

Graphic design: Henrik Nygren. Texts: Petter Eklund, Maria Olofsson Karemyr. Photography: Ivan Brodey, Björn Ceder, Matti Klenell. Illustrations: Matti Klenell.
Hard cover, 64 pp., 120x160 mm, offset and embossed foiled cover.

Offecct now publishes the first book in a planned series about its collaborations with various designers from around the world. The purpose is to tell more about both the product and the designers, an alternative way to provide in-depth knowledge of the thoughts, design and craftsmanship behind Offecct’s range in the absence of physical meetings.
In this new book project, Offecct collaborates with a number of renowned creatives, like design writer Petter Eklund, photographer Björn Ceder, Ivan Brodey and creative director Henrik Nygren. The film that accompanies the book is made by the documentary filmmaker Carl Javér.

“We want to create a cohesive story about our unique collaborations with world-leading designers and provide an in-depth experience of our products. In a way it´s a kind of missionary, to spread knowledge and understanding about the work behind great design. When fairs and other meetings are canclled, we find other ways”, says Maria Olofsson Karemyr, Brand Manager at Offecct.

The book that is now being published is about the Swedish designer Matti Klenell. His collaboration with Offecct started in connection to the renovation of Nationalmuseum in Stockholm in the mid- 2010s. The result was the sofa system Font, launched in 2018 and now extra relevant with several freshly designed modules. In the book and in Carl Javer´s accompanying film, the audience is invited behind the scenes where they get to meet Klenell and Offecct in the midst of the work process.

Klenell’s design always has an apparent ease. Petter Eklund writes: “most things seem to have come about out of curiosity. Things are created, as if unsought for”. At the same time, there is a critical eye, not least when it comes to quality awareness and the designer’s responsibility to contribute to a sustainable society.

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