Published on : Saturday, January 25, 2014
Artek kicked off 2014 with the 50th anniversary of the Karuselli lounge chair, a new addition to the Artek product range. Designed by Yrjö Kukkapuro in 1964, Karuselli relaunched it as a part of the Artek range at the imm Cologne fair.
From the archives of Alvar Aalto, Artek reintroduced the side tables 907B and 915, both designed in the beginning of 1930s. The Lukki series by Ilmari Tapiovaara and the award-winning TW003 lamp by Tapio Wirkkala will be introduced to the Scandinavian market for the first time. The Rocket and Baby Rocket stools by Eero Aarnio and Tapiovaara’s Lukki and Mademoiselle will be presented in fresh new colour editions.
Karuselli is one of the most famous lounge chairs in the world. Kukkapuro began developing the fibreglass chair in the 1950s, arriving at the famous shape in 1964. The international launch of the chair took place at the Cologne Furniture Fair in 1965.
The shape of the Karuselli chair is the result of extensive experimentation. Kukkapuro spent four years sculpting it – searching for the right dimensions, initially using his own body as a guide. Karuselli is exceptionally comfortable as well as stylistically distinctive precisely because it is ergonomically based on the shape and proportions of the human body. As a result of his persistent efforts, Kukkapuro finally arrived at a form that represented a novel combination of ergonomics, new materials and production methods, as well as artistic design. It was this combination of qualities that made Karuselli a revolutionary chair in its time. Ever since its first launch, Karuselli has caught the eye, captured the imagination and has given pleasure to those sitting in it.
Yrjö Kukkapuro remarked, “For some reason, when designing a collection of chairs or other furniture, I have often begun with the largest piece, a fully developed recliner complete with headrest and ottoman, then whittled down the dimensions until I was finally even able to turn it into a bar stool. Over the years, I have used this method to create entire product families. In the case of public spaces and modern settings, it has in fact been a necessity, and the approach has also served me well personally.”
Tags: Alvar Aalto, Artek, Karuselli, Stockholm Furniture Fair, Yrjö Kukkapuro
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