Postmodernist Finnish designer Yrjö Kukkapuro dies age 91

Yrjö Kukkapuro, the Finnish furniture and product designer who dreamt up ideas "until the very end" over more than 70 years of creating, has passed away at his home in Kauniainen at the age of 91.

Yrjö Kukkapuro died last Saturday 8 February at his house just outside of Helsinki, according to a statement released by his studio, which is led by his daughter Isa Kukkapuro-Enbom and his granddaughter Ida Kukkapuro.

Born in Vyborg in 1933, furnituremaker and interior architect Yrjö Kukkapuro was a pioneer of postmodernism whose design approach was anchored in ergonomics.

Although his chairs are included in the collections of international museums, from MoMA in New York to London's V&A, the functional but experimental furniture has served Finland's schools, airports and doctor's surgeries over many decades.

"Almost every Finn has sat on a chair he designed – at a metro station, in a bank, at school, or in a library," said Studio Kukkapuro.

"Yrjö focussed on public space furniture and office chairs, but their comfort made them well-suitable for homes," it added.

Among the designer's most famous work is his Karuselli (or 'carousel') lounge chair, designed in 1964 to echo the curves of the human body.

Produced by furniture brand Artek, the chair caught the eye of designer Terence Conran in 1966 after architect Gio Ponti put it on the cover of his Domus magazine, prompting Conran to declare Karuselli "the most comfortable chair in the world".

"I lie back in it with a glass of whisky and a cigar and immediately feel that life is worth living," said the late British designer.

Yrjö Kukkapuro studied at Finland's Institute of Industrial Arts (now known as Aalto University) before qualifying as an interior architect in 1958.

The Finnish designer is also remembered for his iconic 1982 Experiment Chair, featuring an angled black seat but contrasting colourful and wavy armrests, which caused a stir for its unusual design.

Although production ceased in the 1990s, Swedish brand Hem reproduced the chair in 2021 with minor adjustments for a contemporary audience.

"We are saddened by the news of Yrjö's passing, and our thoughts are with his family,” said Hem founder Petrus Palmér. "He was a furniture design trailblazer, and showed us that a non-conformist approach is the only way to achieve a lasting legacy."

Yrjö Kukkapuro's self-designed Kauniainen home and studio was built in 1968. Characterised by a swooping concrete roof and no right angles, the house is scheduled to become a museum next year and display Yrjö Kukkapuro life's work alongside that of his wife Irmeli, the graphic artist who passed away in 2022.

He designed many pieces for the home over his lifetime, including his 1980s Perhonen (or 'butterfly') multicoloured floor lamps, which although decorative, were characteristically produced for functionality.

"The building was completed in 1968, and it was a rather experimental environment," reflected Yrjö Kukkapuro. "I forgot to design electrical points for lighting fixtures on the ceiling. There was nothing for it but to design my own collection of lamps that stand on the floor."

Yrjö Kukkapuro "never stopped designing and coming up with new ideas. Until the very end, he pondered a concept of ​​his new chair, the plan of which was clear in his mind. His assistant didn't have time to make drawings of the chair," said his studio.

The designer "pushed that design should be clear, functional and somewhat personal if possible," said Swedish creative and former student Eero Koivisto in a tribute to the Finnish creative.

"His style of design is characterised by his experimental treatment of form and his respectful approach to the inherent properties of his materials, ergonomics and ecological values," said Yrjö Kukkapuro's studio in 2023.

The designer was often known to ask, "does it make any sense to design a chair which is not good to sit on?", carrying that philosophy with him until his final days.

The photography is courtesy of Studio Kukkapuro.

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