Finnish Designer Awards 2010

Ellipse chair by Timo Ripatti. Photo Marco Melander, courtesy of Vivero.

The Finnish Association of Professional Graphics Designers Grafia and the Finnish Association of Designers Ornamo have chosen their designers of the year from among 2,600 members. The annual designer awards recognize innovation, artistic merit, response to current values, general interest value, or long and respected careers.

 
Grafia’s Graphic Designer of the Year 2010 Award goes to Sami Kortemäki. Kortemäki is one of the founders of Underware, a world-leading independent design studio specializing in the design and production of typefaces.
 
Ornamo’s Designer Awards 2010 go to furniture designer Timo Ripatti; ceramics designer Kirsi Kivivirta; fashion designer Kia Koski; textile designer Aino Kajaniemi; and industrial designers Arni Aromaa and Sauli Suomela.
 
Timo Ripatti is an uncompromising and self-reliant contemporary furniture designer. He has also been awarded the 2009 Furniture Prize for his Ellipse chair (manufactured and marketed by Vivero) by the Finnish Association of Interior Architects SIO.
 
Ceramics designer Kirsi Kivivirta creates mosaic works of art and tiles for interior decoration among her repertoire, where she explores new methods in ceramics.
 
Fashion designer Kia Koski has earned merit for functional sports clothing, having made a career in the Finnish clothing industry since the 1980s.
 
Textile designer Aino Kajaniemi’s works include church textiles and tapestries.
 
Arni Aromaa and Sauli Suomela are founders and the directors of the nine-member Pentagon Design, an agency that specializes in product, strategic and conceptual design.  
 
An exhibition of the Finnish Designer Awards 2010 will be on view at Design Forum Finland through February 21, 2010. Read more

 

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Seinät puhuvat (“walls speak”) by Kirsi Kivivirta. A public artwork in the Arabianranta district in Helsinki. Seinät puhuvat (“walls speak”) by Kirsi Kivivirta. A public artwork in the Arabianranta district in Helsinki.Seinät puhuvat, Kirsi KivivirtaSeinät puhuvat, Kirsi Kivivirta Seinät puhuvat (“walls speak”) by Kirsi Kivivirta. A public artwork in the Arabianranta district in Helsinki.Seinät puhuvat, Kirsi KivivirtaSeinät puhuvat, Kirsi Kivivirta
A jar by Pentagon Design, manufactured and marketed by Iittala. A jar by Pentagon Design, manufactured and marketed by Iittala.Arni Aromaa ja Sauli SuomelaArni Aromaa och Sauli Suomela A jar by Pentagon Design, manufactured and marketed by Iittala.Arni Aromaa ja Sauli SuomelaArni Aromaa och Sauli Suomela