The iconic Stool 60, designed by Alvar Aalto in 1933, turns a venerable 80 this year. Stool 60 is Artek’s best selling product and one of the most famous design classics of all time internationally. Stool 60 represents a crystallization of the values of Artek concerning the importance of technology, art and ethics.
For the anniversary Artek has released many colourful special editions for Stool 60. These are available throughout the year 2013.
Anniversary edition
The colours of the Stool 60 Anniversary Edition are taken directly from Aalto’s Paimio Sanatorium (1929–1933): the yellow of the floors, the green of the walls, the turquoise of the handrails and walls, and the orange, white and black of the furniture. Paimio Sanatorium (1929–1933) is considered to be the most important functionalist building by Alvar Aalto.
Special Edition by Comme des Garçons
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“For the love of polka dots”.
The Stool 60 by Rei Kawakubo is made of white lacquered wood with black dots on legs and seat.
Rei Kawakubo, is a Japanese fashion designer, founder of fashion house Comme des Garçons. Besides fashion Kawakubo is greatly involved in graphic design, advertising and shop interiors believing that all these things are a part of one vision and are inextricably linked.
Special Edition by Nao Tamura
“Contained within a single tree is its unabridged chronicle year by year, never skipping a beat, it records its history slowly. Some lines speak of seasons of plenty, while others cry of famine. The size of the rings are never the same. Each engraving bears witness to battles waged in the name of survival. To observe such is to humble ourselves to nature’s love of life.”
This celebration was created by layering upon the Alvar Aalto Stool’s beautiful geometric shape, a complex and organic graphic of life. My hope is that the Artek “Stool 60” will evoke the bounty of nature as seen by the passage of 80 years of time. – Nao Tamura
Special Edition by Mads Nørgaard
“I like stripes vol. 2” designed by Danish Fashion Designer Mads Nørgaard.
“Being a fashion designer, my earliest memories are related to second hand men’s wear. And one of my favourite garments is the Harris Tweed, especially in a heering bone weaving. So for the Stool I wanted to bring a textile feeling, and took inspiration in my old favourites.” – Mads Nørgaard
Vol. 2 design is a stool made of birch with a black printed pattern.
Special Edition by Tom Dixon
“The fluorescent orange that I chose for Aalto Stool 60 is the simplest way to draw attention to this ultra simple piece of classic minimalism which is well known that often people don’t notice it any more . This high-visibility paint is used most often in emergency , rescue , and warning situations and rarely in the interior design space. Aalto was a great lover of bright colours, and I can imagine that he too might have been fascinated by these extreme hues.” – Tom Dixon
Tom Dixon was Artek’s creative director 2004-2009.
Special Edition by Monocle
The special edition by Monocle Stool is upholstered with Finnish moose leather. The texture of the leather is elegant and at the same time rugged and comfortable, since the scars and other marks of life are visible. Intriguing details at the bottom of the Stool are the black iron nails and brass screws which will age gracefully over time.
Pure
Stool 60 Pure is the original three-legged stool designed by Alvar Aalto in 1933. As the name implies, the stool is made of natural birch wood with a soft delicate surface that preserves the traces of everyday life and builds up a beautiful patina.
See more at artek.fi
