Ilmari Tapiovaara's 'Kiki' range, reissued by Artek; photo by Tuomas Uusheimo

Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914 – 1999) was an acclaimed Finnish interior architect and furniture designer.

Now, exactly 52 years after ‘Kiki’ range has won him the gold prize at the Milan Triennale in 1960, the renowned furniture brand Artek is about to rerelease this beautifully reduced collection of upholstered, tubular steel furniture. The series, which Tapiovaara developed after having designed an initial, space-saving stackable chair intended for use in large spaces such as conference halls and auditorium, now also includes a two- and three-seater sofa and bench models; a side, sofa and standard-height table, as well as our favourite, a small but brilliantly vibrant tangerine stool.

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'Pirkka' stools by Imari Tapiovaara, now in production by Artek

On the occasion of Artek’s 75th anniversary the Finnish manufacturer, founded in 1935 by Alvar Aalto extended their collection with another range of Finnish classics – those by Ilmari Tapiovaara, a great admirer of Alvar Aalto. Artek has acquired the entire share capital of Aero Design Furniture, the company which produced the Tapiovaara pieces until now.

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