Functional and timeless, Artek furniture “promotes a modern culture of habitation.” Grounded by the original designs of Alvar Aalto, the Artek catalogue includes armchairs, chairs, sofas, benches, tables, lighting, and objects. Many Artek pieces have become mid-century design icons, including Alvar Aalto’s Stool 60 and llmari Tapiovaara’s Mademoiselle Lounge and Rocking Chairs.
Artek, which stands for Art and Technology, was founded in 1935 by four idealists, Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen, and Nils-Gustav Hahl, who sought to include furniture in a grand synthesis of the arts that joined town planning with architecture and design. Headquartered in Finland, where it maintains three stores, Artek is owned by a Swedish investment company. Found in homes and museums, offices and hotels, Artek products combine rational and artistic design impulses.
In 2010, Artek celebrated its 75th anniversary by acquiring the rights to Ilmari Tapiovaara’s furniture collection. In concert with the legacy of Alvar Aalto, whose designs form the core of company’s catalogue, the current Artek style is characterized by versatility, simplicity, and functionality. Concerned with “ethics, aesthetics and ecology,” Artek explores materials and strategies for sustainable design.
1935
50-200
Private
Lönnrotinkatu 7
00120 Helsinki
Finland
Tel +358 (0)10 617 3430
info@artek.fi
www.artek.fi
199 Lafayette Street, Suite 5D
New York, NY 10012
USA
Tel 212.219.0589
info@artekfurniture.us
www.artek.fi