Sustainability a must for the design stars of tomorrow

The Jury has now selected the exhibitors who will be showing off their wares in Greenhouse, Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair’s hall for young and up-and-coming designers, in 2016. Haha Sthlm, Maiju Uski and Darling Design are a few of the lucky designers and design studios to be chosen. They all have one thing in common - sustainability in the design process. A total of 31 designers or design groups and 32 design schools from 13 countries will be involved.

Haha Sthlm is a Stockholm-based design studio comprising the talents of Arash Eskafi and Yu-Ching Chiang. The two met whilst studying for a master’s degree at the University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, and have been working together under the name Haha Sthlm since April 2015. Greenhouse 2016 is the first time they will be presenting their new furniture collection, The Vima Collection, to the general public.

The Vima Collection is a range of furniture inspired by the upbringings of both designers. Eskafi grew up in the suburbs of northern Stockholm, whilst Chiang’s origins lie in the densely populated cities of Taiwan. The shapes that permeate the range are big and bold, reflecting the immense, daring architectural structures to which they were exposed during their childhoods. The collection also pays homage to the industrial design of the Bauhaus era. http://hahasthlm.tumblr.com/

“Our designs have a raw and direct way of speaking to people that invites users to discover new ways of interacting with the language and function of furniture. We’ve also put great emphasis on the production process, trying to make it as sustainable as possible,” says Eskafi.

Maiju Uski has a master’s degree in furniture design from Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture in Helsinki. She recently started her own company, focusing on furniture and product design, as well as interior furnishings. Her projects vary in size and range from architecture planning to products for use on the table.

“It’s exciting to find points of contact in these areas and discover how one area of design influences another. I’m inspired by different materials, their qualities and their feel. My goal is to find the best way of using and combining different tactile materials in everyday products and furnishings. Using this as a starting point, I strive to create beautiful, usable and sustainable designs,” says Uski.

In Greenhouse, Uski will be exhibiting different products made from different materials; a wood shelf, metal light fittings, a metal-framed serving cart, and a variety of dining table products made from ceramic, glass, wood, stone and cast iron.www.maijuuski.com

Johan Åkerström runs one-man design agency Darling Design in Åre. He graduated from Gothenburg’s School of Design and Crafts almost 9 years ago. Since then, he has been running his own business, weaving commissions with projects he himself initiated.

“My ambition as a designer is always to work to achieve sustainable development in all aspects, both big and small. I view the road towards sustainability, or a circular economy, as not only the biggest challenge of our age, but also the biggest opportunity we will ever have. Essentially, everything we do and everything surround ourselves with needs to be re-thought and changed. For the design industry, this opens the door on some fantastic opportunities,” says Åkerström.

At the exhibition, he will be showing off Illuminated, an “LED bulb” which features a new socket standard that changes the relationship between fitting and light source, and which creates the criteria for a changing and resource-efficient lighting market. Illuminated is a light source that can outlive many different light fittings. www.darling-design.se

Designers and design schools from throughout the world are invited to submit applications to Greenhouse. The 2016 Greenhouse jury consists of Christian Halleröd, designer; Jens Fager, designer; Susanne Helgeson, design journalist and author, and Gabriella Gustafson, designer.

Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair will be held on February 9-13, 2016 at Stockholmsmässan.

For more information, visit www.stockholmfurniturelightfair.se or contact:
Cecilia Nyberg, Event Manager, tel. +46 8 749 43 86, cecilia.nyberg@stockholmsmassan.se
Lotta Signeul, Press Officer, tel. +46 749 43 36 19, lotta.signeul@stockholmsmassan.se

Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair is the world’s largest meeting place for Scandinavian furniture and lighting design. Domestic and international visitors will find the most comprehensive selection of Scandinavian furniture, office furnishings, design, textiles, lighting and other interior furnishings for both homes and public spaces. Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair runs in parallel with Stockholm Design Week. www.stockholmdesignweek.com