Artek has teamed up with research-based design studio Formafantasma to re-evaluate its rigorous wood selection standards and develop a more environmentally friendly furniture range made from wild Birch Trees.
Stool 60 Villi will be the first piece to drop as part of the wild birch range, in celebration of 2023 being the 90th anniversary of Stool 60, designed by Alvar Aalto and manufactured in Finland.
Stool 60 Villi will be the first piece to be released as part of the wild birch range, in celebration of 2023 being the 90th anniversary of Stool 60, designed by Alvar Aalto.
Image: Supplied
Prior to the introduction of the new range, Artek prioritized using regularly grained wood, which does not display any natural wood markings or characteristics. Each piece underwent a strict selection criteria process, with the production of furniture based on market expectations for aesthetic consistency and perfection.
Stool 60 Villi will instead celebrate individuality and the beauty of natural imperfections of raw wood materials. The new collection will enable more of the tree to be used, rather than end up as waste. Wood knots, insect trails, colour fluctuations and a darker wood core will be visible on the stool’s legs, with all of these features contributing to the one-of-a-kind quality of the range.
Wood knots, insect trails, colour fluctuations and a darker wood core will be visible on Stool 60 Villi’s legs.
Image: Supplied
The objectives behind the new range, according to Artek, include “promoting a more responsible usage of raw materials in the manufacturing of products,” to “instigate a new aesthetics of sustainability,” and to “provide insights into the changing conditions of Finnish forests in the light of industrialization and climate change.”
The process of making Stool 60.
Image: Supplied
A spokesperson for FormaFantasma said to obtain the level of flawlessness that Artek achieved in its previous furniture ranges, only a small percentage of the birch tree could actually be used, despite the quality of wood being the same.
“It is important to mention that there are also marks in the wood left by insects that have now expanded into Finnish forests because of climate change. So, for us, accepting those flaws in production also means not neglecting what is actually happening in the world.
“The changes we are trying to achieve with Artek are also a way to make the culture of the forest become the culture of the company. This means, for instance, making these shifts in the quality control of the wood and accepting certain things that are considered flaws. First of all, this will mean that you will need fewer trees to produce the objects. And second of all, wood that in the past would probably have ended up producing lower-quality products – such as paper pulp – is now applied to something much more durable. Consequently, this will also mean less CO₂ emissions because the CO₂ will remain in objects for longer.
“All these changes we’re talking about are rather invisible in the product. They are definitely visible in the production, and in the end they will also be visible in some details of the product. But I think that the most interesting changes you can do now, in architecture and design, are rather invisible. It’s behind the scenes where you can do the most.”
Artek has announced Stool 60 Villi will be apart of their permanent collection in 2024, with the collection available exclusively in Australia at Anibou.
