Jouko Kärkkäinen

Jouko Kärkkäinen is a Finnish industrial designer and artist with a Master of Arts degree, who designs products, makes art works and carries out interior projects mainly using wood. As a designer, Jouko Kärkkäinen is best-known, also internationally, for his innovative Ply wall elements. The Ply wall elements are made of  ultra thin birch plywood, almost see-through.

The thickness of the material is 0,45 mm. This textile-like, thin plywood is attached to a solid wood frame, which again can be fixed to straight surfaces by stickers, velcro, picture hooks or screws. The Ply wall elements are an innovative and elegant decoration for any space. Alongside his products Jouko Kärkkäinen is mostly an artist who is reflecting humanity and the human mind through his work. His patented method of using wood represents traditional Finnish wood design and art interpreted in a contemporary and modern way. As an artist, Jouko Kärkkäinen represents modern skills in wood, as shown by purchases of his works for the Finnish State Collection and their display in the Louvre in Paris in 2008. While his manner of expression points to tradition, the approach is fresh, with the theme: “Use Wood, Feel Good”.