Shigeru Ban - 10-Unit System

Shigeru Ban, born in 1957 in Tokyo, Japan, is an internationally recognized Japanese architect. He has been a pioneer in applying the principles of sustainable development to architectural design. Shigeru Ban’s architecture emphasises refinement and a highly developed innovativeness, especially in materials technologies. His original and bold approach to the use of paper, cardboard and bamboo as construction materials, combined with a clean-lined and contemporary architectural aesthetic, has made him one of the most important architects of our time.

Artek New York (2009)


Shigeru Ban studied at the Southern California Institute of Architecture and later on in the Cooper Union’s School of Architecture. Ban graduated in 1984 after which he started his own practice in 1985.

Artek in Milan (2009)


Shigeru Ban can be described as a modernist, experimentalist as well as a rationalist. The architect is most famous for his innovative work with paper tubes as a material for building construction. Ban’s architecture has strong influences from his interest in humanitarianism. Shigeru Ban is concerned with building as a whole, and is not interested only in so-called beautiful architecture: providing assistance in coping with catastrophes is just as important to him. Shigeru Ban’s DIY Refugee shelters (used for example in Japan after the Kobe earthquake, in Turkey and in Rwanda) have proved very effective for disaster relief housing. Ban knows that simple solutions are often the most difficult to develop –especially when using inexpensive materials.

Shigeru Ban’s major works include among many other things the Japanese Pavilion at the Hannover Expo 2000 and the new Centre Georges Pompidou in Metz, which is expected to be completed in 2009. In 2007, Shigeru Ban designed the Artek Pavilion, “The Space of Silence”, for the Salone del Mobile. Ban’s 10-UNIT SYSTEM for Artek is launched in Milan 2009.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Artek in Miami (2009)


The 10-Unit System is comprised of 10 wood plastic composite L-shaped units. The 10 L-units in a system can be used to assemble several items, including a chair, a stool and a frame for a table. By combining more L-units you are able to create new furniture pieces, such as benches.

Ilmari Tapiovaara Designs Part of Artek Product Range

In 2010 the products of Ilmari Tapiovaara became part of the Artek product range.  The manufacturing facility where llmari Tapiovaara pieces were being produced had been failing. Artek saw this as an opportunity, in purchasing the facility, to keep the furniture pieces in production and promote them to a wider audience than before.  The Ilmari Tapiovaara pieces added to their existing collection mainly designed by their founders Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen and Nils-Gustav Hahl.





Ilmari Tapiovaara was one of the greatest interior architects and designers of his era. With the mind of an explorer and a soul of a craftsman, Tapiovaara was always seeking for new solutions to improve everyday objects. During his long career Tapiovaara created dozens of iconic objects loved by the public.

Domus Lounge chair - Ilmari Tapiovaara (1946)

Domus chair - Ilmari Tapiovaara (1946)


Tapiovaara is especially revered as a master of characteristic and human objects and surroundings who captured the essence of Finnish identity. Today the contemporary Tapiovaara Family Collection maintains the timeless heritage of a master of Finnish design. Ilmari Tapiovaara graduated in 1937 as interior architect from the department of furniture design of the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki. After graduation he obtained the position of assistant for six months at Le Corbusier’s office in Paris. In 1938 Tapiovaara began work as artistic director and designer at Asko Oy, the largest furniture manufacturer in Finland, and in 1941 he was hired as artistic and commercial director for the furniture company Keravan Puuteollisuus Oy. In 1946–47 Tapiovaara designed, together with his wife, Annikki Tapiovaara, furniture for Domus Academica, the new student housing facility in Helsinki. It was in that project the famous Domus Stacking Chair was designed.

Mademoiselle Lounge Chair - Ilmari Tapiovaara (1956)

Tee-Tee Table - Ilmari Tapiovaara (1940)


 Ilmari Tapiovaara was a great admirer of Alvar Aalto’s work, and he wanted to create products based on the same ideological premises. Tapiovaara embraced the principle of social equality of functionalism, and felt that architecture was the starting point of his design work. In addition to dozens of chairs and other furniture, mostly intended for public spaces, Tapiovaara also designed interiors for many banks, offices, hotels and showrooms starting in the 1940s.

Pirkka collection - Ilmari Tapiovaara (1955)

Ilmari Tapiovaara also worked abroad in various capacities. In 1952–53 he was employed as professor at the school of design of the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, and he also worked for a while in the office of Mies van der Rohe. In the late 1950s, he travelled to Paraguay, where he designed furniture on behalf of the UN development program, and in the mid-1970s he worked in Mauritius in a similar project. He also worked in an expert capacity in Yugoslavia, participating in the development of a centre for furniture and joinery industry. He also designed furniture for clients in Italy and Sweden, among others.

Trienna Table - Ilmari Tapiovaara (1954)

Ilmari Tapiovaara furniture collection for Artek

Ilmari Tapiovaara was awarded a total of six gold medals at the Milan Triennials in 1951, 1954, 1957, 1960 and 1964. He was awarded the Good Design Award in Chicago in 1951, the Pro Finlandia medal in 1959, the Finnish State Design Prize in 1971 and the Furniture Prize of the SIO Interior Architects’ Association of Finland in 1990.

Kiki collection - Ilmari Tapiovaara (1960)

Alvar Aalto - One of the Founders of Artek

Window display: Pendant lamp A331 designed by Alvar Aalto (1953), Tee Tee Table designed by llmari Tapiovaara (1940), Armchair 401 designed by Alvar Aalto (1933), and Bench 153B designed by Alvar Aalto (1945).


DZINE  is pleased to be representing the Finnish company, Artek.  Their business model “to sell furniture and to promote a modern culture of habitation by exhibitions and other educational means.” The founders of Artek advocated a new kind of environment for everyday life, a philosophy close to that of DZINE, a belief that design is ultimately about living with greater elegance and ease.

Alvar Aalto, one of the founders of Artek, was born in Kuortane, Finland. Alvar Aalto is recognized today as one of the great masters of modern architecture. During his long and prolific career, Aalto’s work embraced almost all key public institutions - town halls, theatres, churches, libraries and universities - as well as standardized housing and private homes.

Lounge chair 43 designed by Alvar Aalto (1937)

Chair 66 designed by  Alvar Aalto (1935)


Aalto’s architecture is distinctively Finnish. It is marked by a warm humanity and strong individuality. His buildings derive their special aesthetic character from their dynamic relationship with their natural surroundings, their human scale, superbly executed details, unique treatment of materials and ingenious use of lighting. Like all great art, however, Aalto’s architecture transcends national boundaries. His work is not the exclusive property of Finland: it forms a part of a common cultural heritage of European and worldwide significance.

Pendant lamp A110 desinged by Alvar Aalto (1952)

Tea Trolly 900 designed by Alvar Aalto (1937)


Alvar Aalto began designing furnishings as a natural and important extension of his architectural thinking. His first modern piece of furniture was created in 1931-32 for the Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Paimio, which proved to be his international breakthrough. Artek was set up in 1935 to market and sell Alvar and Aino Aalto's furniture, lamps and textiles, particularly on international markets where Artek focused its operations from the initial stages.

Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Paimio.

Armchair 41 "Paimio" designed by Alvar Aalto (1932) for the Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Paimio.

Sofa 544 designed by Alvar Aalto (1932)


Through the innovations in form and line that were born in his furniture designs, Alvar Aalto’s name has also become important in the history of design. In fact, Aalto first achieved fame in Continental Europe as a furniture designer, and only later on as an architect. His contribution to furniture design was among his foremost achievements in its own right, and it sowed the seed from which many of his architectural ideas sprang forth. Alvar Aalto’s furniture and lighting pieces form the basis of the Artek range.

Logomo Cafe` - Artek art installation

From Abitare - Photos by Bo Stranden

German artist Tobias Rehberger has created in collaboration with Artek a comprehensive art installation called Nothing happens for a reason at the Logomo café.

This is not the first cooperation by Rehberger and Artek. In 2009, Tobias Rehberger was awarded with a Golden Lion for Best Artist at the Venice Biennale for the permanent installation he created for Palazzo delle Esposizioni in cooperation with Artek. “I like the idea of creating a visual art project which is about ‘not seeing something’.

The painting method of battle ships in the first and second World War, the so called dazzle painting, in a way for me perfectly represents this paradox. The sculpture I created for Turku is based on the same concept as the one in Venice.

It applies a completely different pattern to the space, but despite its very different look, it should have the same dazzling effect,” says Rehberger. “The Venice Biennale installation is a wonderful example of how art, architecture and design all come together in an outstanding international project.

Artek’s cooperation with Tobias Rehberger has been continuous as Artek is quite at home in the world of art, where new visions and bold actions create strong impressions and dialogue,” says Artek’s Managing Director Mirkku Kullberg.

Tobias Rehberger (b. 1966) began his career in the early 90’s and has exhibited widely world wide ever since. Rehberger is interested in the conflict between functionalism and aesthetics, and likes to question and play with the notion of art and its various strategies.

Using several media and different approaches, Rehberger’s conceptual work break traditional boundaries with exceptional combinations of painting, sculpture, architecture and design.

Artek can now be purchased at DZINE.