15 April 2015

While the chair is a movable feature in the scenery of our homes, the table is a mark of stability and immobility. The same dichotomy holds true in terms of design: the variations in the form, color and material of seats are almost infinite, but those of tables are far more static. So the brothers Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec have decided to celebrate eighty years of activity on the part of Artek, the historic Finnish company founded by Alvar Aalto, with a design that sets out to introduce innovations into the traditional perception of the table top. Kaari is a collection of tables that turns around a system of rectangular and circular elements for use as desk, console and shelves. What all the pieces of the series have in common and makes them recognizable is the support: a steel arc (kaari in Finnish) that holds up the wooden top with its diagonal in a way that is at once steady and light. The repetition of the same elements in the modular structures creates a cadenced and harmonious rhythm that sets Kaari apart from the heaviness of other supports. Thus the use of solid wood that has always characterized Artek’s products is renewed through this insertion of steel that creates an aesthetic effect which is simple but decided, functional but with great personality. Where: Pavilion 20 / C08, Salone del Mobile, Rho.

Courtesy: Studio Bouroullec e/and Artek.