Kaj Franck Design Prize 2008 to Eero Aarnio

Professor Eero Aarnio has been chosen to receive the Kaj Franck Design Prize of 2008.

Eero Aarnio’s internationally significant career in furniture design already began in the 1960s. After graduating from the Institute of Industrial Arts in Helsinki, Aarnio established his own office specializing in interior and industrial design in 1962. Many of his works in the spirit of pop art, such as the Ball Chair (1963), Bubble (1968), Pastil (1968), Tomato (1971), Pony (1973) and Formula (1998) soon made international headlines and became design icons. The prize-winning designer has created a great number of products of different kinds, from furniture for homes and public space to various utility objects, such as the Puppy toy dog (2003) which he designed for Magis of Italy. Aarnio’s Trioli children’s chair (2003), also designed for Magis, earned him the Compasso d’Oro Prize of 2008 in Italy. Eero Aarnio’s work in design has had positive effect on employment in Finland. Over 90% of the products are exported. Aarnio’s most recent exhibition has toured many countries and his works are on permanent display in leading collections, such as MoMA in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein.

Bubble Chair, Adelta - 1968	Ball Chair, Adelta - 1963
Pony, Adelta - 1973	Formula Chair, Adelta - 1998
Pastil, Adelta - 1968	Double Bubble, Malaja - 2001

”I always draw the piece in full scale. It’s almost like making the actual object and shaping its mass. It shows textiles as a black surface. If I draw only the contour, it is just a line. If I already give the object visual mass and weight on paper, it comes quite close to the right mood.” Professor Eero Aarnio,Interior Architect, winner of the Kaj Franck Design Prize of 2008.
 
 
Exhibition: The Kaj Franck Design Prize of  2008 – Eero Aarnio
From 12 December 2008  to 11 January 2009
Design Forum Finland, Space1, Erottajankatu 7, Helsinki
Free entrance