DesignApplause

Heightening awareness of design-driven objects.

Hardcore Finnish design.



It’s summer in our hemisphere. Long days. Warm weather. Spending more time outdoors. Here is a innovative product that you make yourself at the beach or on a picnic — the cutlery! What fun!
The cutlery (Do!) and an extension cord (Thrush-In) that stores nicely in its own felt container is designed by Arihiro Miyake. The utensils are fashioned by hand and you also make that fashion statement. The designer labels the cutlery disposable but we propose the environmental statement. Throw them in the dishwasher!.

These are just some of the items found in New York mid-May. The main draw was the International Contemporary Furniture Fair at the Javits Center, but there were many off-site events to go to. One was the Hardcore Finnish Design exhibit featuring 20-plus Finnish designers.

Highlights included pieces from Miyake, Janne Kyttanen, Mikko Laakkonen and Pentagon Design. Kyttanen’s impressive thirty-eight piece chandelier, inspired by growth patterns in palm trees, was created with rapid manufacturing technologies. Laakkonen had several pieces on display including Vege, a set of cast iron pans and the Latva coat rack, modeled after the top branches of a tree. Pentagon Design pushed the boundaries of paint technology, with life-sized animals covered in innovative paints made to mimic textures and encourage interaction with magnetic and chalkboard surfaces.

Other works included glass knives by Noa Bembibre, industrial inspired pillows by Fokus Fabriks, a watch made from the kickstart pinion of an old Harley Davidson by Stepan Sarpaneva and LED desklamps by SAAS Instruments.


do! cutlery designed by Arihiro Mayake.

tiger shoe designed by Janne Kittanen

touching tactile surfaces designed by Pentagon Design

veg pans designed by Mikko Laakkonen

hardcore finnish design

Share and Enjoy:
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook

Related posts


Past president of Architecture & Design Society, The Art Institute of Chicago. Designer, blogger, adjunct professor at Columbia College Chicago.
All posts by PRand

1 comment so far ↓

#1 Caw to art! #23. at Pet Monologues CANADA on 06.24.08 at 11:12 pm

[...] submits touching tactile surfaces lady omega submits peep show thru my eyes submits beautiful face paintalicious submits art and [...]

Leave a Comment