Finnish Design Essay Paper

1)  Eliel Saarinen and Alvar Aalto – international recognition.

Gottlieb Eliel Saarinen (20 August 1873, Rantasalmi, Finland – June 30, 1950, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA) ”“ is a Finnish architect and founder of the Finnish National Romantic architecture. He became famous for the nouveau buildings. In the early buildings of Saarinen (with G. Gezeliusom and A. Lindgren – Finnish pavilion at the World Exhibition in Paris, 1900; studio Vittreske, DC Hels, 1902) appeal to the techniques of folk architecture and its specific materials (wood, granite) was combined with using artistic means of English architecture of the late 19 century. (Charles F. Voyzi, F. Webb) and the German Jugendstil.

The station building in Helsingfors (Draft – 1904, construction – 1910-1914), is distinguished by the general picturesqueness, an abundance of visual elements (thematic sculpture, decoration) and at the same rationalistic organization of space, was the largest and final piece of the Finnish National Romanticism. In the 20-30-ies Saarinen paid tribute to the stylization of false Gothic and Neo-Classicism.

Since 1937, working with his son Eero Saarinen, he combined rationalistic scheme with traditional architectural features (the church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1950). Early unrealized urban projects of Saarinen (particularly the project “Big Helsingfors”, 1915-18, based on the principle of dispersal of urban structures) had a significant influence on the theory and practice of urban planning in Finland and Nordic countries after the 2nd World War.

Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto (February 3, 1898, Kuortane – May 11, 1976, Helsinki) – Finnish architect and designer, the “father of modernism” in Northern Europe, one of the founders of modern design. In 1916 he entered the Polytechnic Institute in Helsingfors, where he studied Armas Lindgren.  He was influenced by neoclassicism, Gunnar Asplund and aesthetics of the European avant-garde, on the basis of which began to take the shape of his individual style. In search of new structural forms he was favored by natural materials (experiments with bent-wood: furniture, non-objective composition). In 1933 he moved to Helsinki, where he opened his own firm Artek, which began producing interior, becomes a model of modern style and Finnish design. With the support of woodworking concerns demonstrated the possibility of wooden architecture in projects for the World Exhibition in Paris (1937) and in New York (1939); flexibly combines traditions of national architecture with the novelty of the avant-garde techniques, the freedom of spatial composition of the beauty of the northern landscape (villa). In the years 1940-1948 Aalto worked and taught in the U.S., where he carried out several projects.

From a strictly geometric forms of early buildings, everything has come to distinctive combination of national traditions, the principles of functionalism and organic architecture, to the freedom and flexibility of three-dimensional compositions, skillfully inscribed in the natural environment. In the ornate buildings of Alvar Aalto used a tree. Some of his urban designs, differing amounts of free composition and beautiful landscaping, have been realized posthumously in Rovaniemi in Seynyaioki. Aalto had a significant influence on a generation of young architects from different countries.

2)  Tapio Wirkkala, Timo Sarpeneva and other originals.

Tapio Wirkkala (2 June 1915 – May 19, 1985) was a Finnish designer and sculptor, one of the pioneers of industrial art in their country. Its design work was recognized in the years following World War II. His most famous designs are produced for Iittala glassware such as vases Kantarelli (1946) which represented a new direction for the company and a glass-dsieño renewal in Finland.

Timo Sarpaneva, (Helsinki, 31 October 1926 – October 6, 2006), a Finnish designer. He was known for his artistic glass structures. He also worked with metal, porcelain, wood and textiles. He graduated from the University of Art and Design Helsinki in 1948. Professional activity directed towards industrial design and was considered among the group of artists who flourished in Finland after the Second World War. He worked with all the materials to make them into works of art. He was considered a versatile artist, very creative.

3)  Marimekko and new textile design.

Marimekko is the name of a Finnish company that sells clothing and household goods of their own design but also in our own stores. The company Marimekko was founded in 1951 by Armi and Viljo Ratia. The stores are relatively small (100-200 square feet) and stand at their facility by a simple design. A special feature of Marimekko is from year to year, changing, but always is based on the same basic principles of design: T-Shirts (there always is in long-sleeve version) are striped two-tone cross and shirts are striped in two colors along. There are only a few color combinations each year. Often, there are large flower motifs, which include but simple color combinations, typical years design. Also in all other areas the design from Marimekko reflects its simplicity. The design of Marimekko in the 60s and 70s was particularly well known. Marimekko has a cooperation with the Swedish fashion house H & M, as before them were Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Roberto Cavalli and Madonna.

 



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