stool 60 | alvar aalto | artek | 1933 | click > enlarge

The 1930s marked a breakthrough decade for Alvar Aalto both as an architect and a designer. Stool 60 was first introduced to the international public at the Wood Only exhibition in London in November 1933, to rave reviews – making 2013 Stool 60’s 80th anniversary. The simple, stackable and durable wooden stool represented a new approach to furniture design, and a continuation of the brand of modernism initiated by Bauhaus. The use of wood instead of bent steel was revolutionary at the time. Aalto spent years developing the L-shaped leg at the Korhonen furniture factory. The development of Stool 60 also took several years. Aalto kept testing different technical solutions together with the experts of the factory. The result of their collaboration is a durable and modern technical solution that later on led to the creation of many other classic designs.

stool 60 | mike meiré | artek | 2012

In 1935, just a few days before the founding of Artek, the Municipal Library in Vyborg opened and Stool 60 was used for the first time in a public building. Stool 60 represents a crystallization of the values of Artek concerning the importance of technology, art and ethics. Stool 60 is the number one seller of Artek products and one of the most famous design products of the world.

Throughout 2013, Artek will introduce a series of stools, designed by well-known architects and designers, commemorating the anniversary. This month, we are featuring the stools by Mike Meiré (seen above).

Learn how these colorful stools are put together in this short video:

stool 60 | alvar aalto | artek | 1933

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