I DON’T care who says otherwise; Sweden is the design epicentre of the world. Their Scandi style hones in on efficiency, minimalism and beauty. With all of these elements inspiring the world of international design, it’s no wonder than Stockholm Design Week is the place to be as it showcases the best from new and established design talent.
Touching down in Stockholm, I’m met with a thick layer of fluffy white snow. I assumed this was normal as a first-timer but apparently I’m wrong. “Sorry, we don’t normally get snow in February,” apologised the customs officer as he checked my passport.
I head straight to the train station to catch a ride to my hotel and wait patiently. The information boards are slick and clear, leaving no confusion for times. My train arrives promptly and I step into the carriage before taking a quick double take. A long desk looking out of the window is lined with individual lamps and charging points, and I’m reminded of what looks more like the study area of a library than a train.
Arriving at Hotel Diplomat, I step into the warmth and head to the check in desk where I’m given keys to my fifth floor room. Now, in this hotel I have two options – take the stairs or wait for the one lift. I opted for the lift as it’s heavy gold iron curtain was incredibly enticing. The wait was well worth it. The art nouveau lift arrived in style with a loud ‘ding’. Why are old fashioned lifts so charming? Finally flopping onto my hotel bed, I soak in the view of the river and snow covered city and start to get myself into design gear for the week ahead.
The exterior of Svenskt Tenn
Luckily I didn’t have to look very far for inspiration as Sweden’s famous interior design shop, Svenskt Tenn is a mere 200 metres away from the hotel. The urge to buy everything is strong as homeware pieces stand out like precious artwork. Gaining a reputation for conforming to strict design standards, Svenskt Tenn has maintained its level of design quality since its beginnings with founder Estrid Ericson.
Luca Nichetto’s lamps for Svenkst Tenn.
Whilst roaming around the shop, I faced my first Stockholm Design Week exhibition which came in the form of a handmade glass lamp collection from Luca Nichetto. The collection named Fusa, is exclusively made for Svenskt Tenn. Each lamp bares a vague resemblance to the shape of a mushroom as the head of the lamps bubble over a narrow stand. Bright glass melts into itself creating a rainbow of deep colour, making and each piece the focal point of any room. To turn on the lamp, a light touch is all that’s required. I place a thumb on the base of the lamp and watch it grow bright like a sunrise. Who needs an ugly lamp switch anyway?
Leaving Skvenskt Tenn empty-handed is a skill I don’t possess, so I pick up a heritage Josef Frank printed tray and leave the shop with a strong urge to replace my household items.
Next, a visit to ArkDes – Sweden’s National Centre For Architecture and Design – is a brilliant introduction to Stockholm Design Week’s new talent. Young designers stood proud to present their work as part of the Young Swedish Design 2019 showcase.
The Lobster by Martin Thübeck
A number of thought provoking pieces stood out but it was Martin Thübeck’s Lobster that really caught my eye. Thübeck presents the idea of a chair in an abstract form with its name taking inspiration from the colour of a lobster. Thick red tubes are moulded to into the structure of a chair with supporting areas cushioning. At a glance it’s a conventional chair but Thübeck’s design challenges you to look again and question its purpose. Each individual will approach it differently as there are numerous ways to sit in the chair. When talking to Thübeck he explained “I tested the chair in a room full of children to see how they would sit on it. After observing this I saw that there is no one way to sit on this chair.”
An illustration of Boxen
The exhibition was showcased in the centre’s newest space Boxen, which in itself is a design masterpiece. The space takes into consideration height and perception with bordering ramps and staircase which gives a higher visual access to all of the interior exhibition space. It’s refreshing to enjoy all the elements of design in the centre, even when it’s as simple as an exhibition space.
Before delving further into design week, I took a quick trip to an island not too far away from ArkDes to discover a very special sculpture. Stepping through inches of untouched snow, I walked towards a huge 25-foot towering concrete structure made by Pablo Picasso. I couldn’t get around the random placement of this artwork as Stockholm was the last place I imaged to come face-to-face with a real life Picasso. The work is called Dyande Måsen, or Diving Seagull in English, and it portrays a Picasso-style bird diving into the ground. It’s a bold, abstract ode to art and I give the sculpture one last look before heading to Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair.
The Unfolding Village exhibition
A stand out piece at the fair is the The Unfolding Village exhibition which is presented by Neri&Hu, the Shanghai-London based design firm. Inspired by China’s rapid disappearing village crisis, The Unfolding Village explores the concept of space and interaction between community. When giving a talk at the press conference, Neri and Hu spoke about the gossip culture in China and how they recreated this idea of hearing news about others through their innovative structure. Staggered walls allows guests to weave between the structure and find a space to hide away whilst remaining close to others. The structure utilises space whilst creating a sense of false privacy.
Bond, by Fogia
Design Week is a time where studios and showrooms open their doors to the public, revealing new collections after months of hard work. After a day of visiting Notes studio and Offecct, the day came to an end with a private view at Fogia’s concept space which was located in an ex-shipbuilding yard. The 1200 square-metre space hosted the entire new collection from Fogia, including sofas, tables and shelving. The space alone is a delight as the high ceilings and industrial feel present the perfect backdrop for Fogia’s open-plan living style.
The winner of the collection is Bond, the shelf design which offers intelligent, build-your-own shelving solutions without the need for tools. The wooden pieces can be assembled to be free-standing from the ceiling or simply wall or floor mounted. Looking at Bond, it’s easy to imagine the shelf taking form around any features in the house without getting in the way. Seamless in appearance, and easy to assemble, Bond is a time machine allowing us to see into the future of modern shelving.
As design week drew to an end, I spent my last night hopping between after parties hosted by design studios. The weeks of hard work and excitement came to a head as both upcoming and established designers merged into one as they discussed their passion of design whilst sipping on glasses of bubbly. A sense of unity brought the trip to a successful end.
Stockholm left me with a strong urge to replace my household furnishings and an insight into the future of design. The marriage of sustainability, simplicity and style is the formula to success, and Sweden continues to apply these elements, hence remaining the centrepoint of international design.
by Katrina Mirpuri
Feature image by Tove Freij