Scandtastic! From Aalto to Wirkkala
Excerpt from the book 'Scandinavian Design' by Charlotte and Peter Fiell
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For centuries the five Scandinavian/Nordic countries have fostered a regional affiliation based on co-operation (and at times domination), but each has also had its own distinctive national history, political aspirations and social concerns. These distinguishing aspects have led design emanating from each country to display a uniquely different character. For instance, the influence of Oriental pottery, English Regency furniture and American Shaker chairs on Danish design reflects its centuries-old sea-trading activities, whereas Swedish design for (dis)ability reflects that country's strong social agenda, while Iceland with its scarcity of raw materials has had a long tradition of graphic design that (thanks to computer technology) has vigorously flourished in recent years. Despite these regional emphases in design, the five Scandinavian countries have a common aesthetic culture that is the result of their shared desire for a social ideal.
Historically, life has been a struggle in these geographically isolated countries with their limited range of raw materials - conditions that have led to a culture of minimizing waste wherever possible through common sense practicality in design. Similarly, an expertise has been passed down from generation to generation in the handling of the materials that are readily available, such as wood from the dense forests of Sweden, Norway and Finland. As Eileene Harrison Beer noted, "The spectacular scenery all around them contributed design motifs and educated them to the realization that nature's ever-changing beauty is the best and most constant source of lasting pleasure in form and colour." Certainly, patterns inspired by native flora and fauna have embellished the objects of everyday life for centuries in Scandinavia, and it is therefore not surprising that in the 20th century the majority of Scandinavian designers, from Alvar Aalto and Arne Jacobsen to Jens Quistgaard and Tapio Wirkkala, adopted forms inspired by the natural world rather than the machine, and in so doing pioneered the concept of organic Modernism.
Traditionally, the acquisition of objects in Scandinavia has had more to do with pleasure than with displays of status. Because of this, Scandinavian interiors typically have a homely eclecticism that mixes the old with the new. There is a prevailing distaste for "high-style" showiness and a preference for subtle understated interiors that are imbued with hygge, from those in Carl and Karin Larsson's home at Sundborn to the bright airy informal rooms illustrated in IKEA catalogues. Generally, Scandinavian interiors have an uncluttered simplicity that helps to create a greater sense of light - an important consideration when living through the dark months of a Northern winter. Scandinavian design has also been driven by the idea of inclusiveness rather than exclusiveness - affordable, practical, yet beautiful objects for everyone. That is not to say that creative individuality is sacrificed in the pursuit of democratic solutions, but rather that the designer often comes up with a very personal response to a particular design problem.
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Page [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
For centuries the five Scandinavian/Nordic countries have fostered a regional affiliation based on co-operation (and at times domination), but each has also had its own distinctive national history, political aspirations and social concerns. These distinguishing aspects have led design emanating from each country to display a uniquely different character. For instance, the influence of Oriental pottery, English Regency furniture and American Shaker chairs on Danish design reflects its centuries-old sea-trading activities, whereas Swedish design for (dis)ability reflects that country's strong social agenda, while Iceland with its scarcity of raw materials has had a long tradition of graphic design that (thanks to computer technology) has vigorously flourished in recent years. Despite these regional emphases in design, the five Scandinavian countries have a common aesthetic culture that is the result of their shared desire for a social ideal.
Historically, life has been a struggle in these geographically isolated countries with their limited range of raw materials - conditions that have led to a culture of minimizing waste wherever possible through common sense practicality in design. Similarly, an expertise has been passed down from generation to generation in the handling of the materials that are readily available, such as wood from the dense forests of Sweden, Norway and Finland. As Eileene Harrison Beer noted, "The spectacular scenery all around them contributed design motifs and educated them to the realization that nature's ever-changing beauty is the best and most constant source of lasting pleasure in form and colour." Certainly, patterns inspired by native flora and fauna have embellished the objects of everyday life for centuries in Scandinavia, and it is therefore not surprising that in the 20th century the majority of Scandinavian designers, from Alvar Aalto and Arne Jacobsen to Jens Quistgaard and Tapio Wirkkala, adopted forms inspired by the natural world rather than the machine, and in so doing pioneered the concept of organic Modernism.
Traditionally, the acquisition of objects in Scandinavia has had more to do with pleasure than with displays of status. Because of this, Scandinavian interiors typically have a homely eclecticism that mixes the old with the new. There is a prevailing distaste for "high-style" showiness and a preference for subtle understated interiors that are imbued with hygge, from those in Carl and Karin Larsson's home at Sundborn to the bright airy informal rooms illustrated in IKEA catalogues. Generally, Scandinavian interiors have an uncluttered simplicity that helps to create a greater sense of light - an important consideration when living through the dark months of a Northern winter. Scandinavian design has also been driven by the idea of inclusiveness rather than exclusiveness - affordable, practical, yet beautiful objects for everyone. That is not to say that creative individuality is sacrificed in the pursuit of democratic solutions, but rather that the designer often comes up with a very personal response to a particular design problem.
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Scandinavian Design
Flexicover, 19.6 x 25.2 cm (7.7 x 9.9 in.), 704 pages
$ 39.99
$ 39.99
Scandtastic! From Aalto to Wirkkala, more than 200 outstanding Sandinavian designers of the past century
Jens Quistgaard, rosewood, steel and leather lounge chairs for Nissen, 1965
Arne Jacobsen, Model no. 3316 Egg chair and Model no. 3127 footstool for Fritz Hansen, 1958