Studio Kukkapuro, based in Yrjö Kukkapuro’s atelier home, took on a unique project when the Swedish company Hem reached out with a proposal: to reissue the Experiment chair, an iconic symbol of postmodern design. Isa Kukkapuro-Enbom shares insights with Design Stories on updating the classic.

IN THE EARLY 1980s, Finnish designer Yrjö Kukkapuro entered a phase he later described as the “postmodern explosion”. Bright primary colors and playful forms defined this era, breaking away from the restrained aesthetics of modernism with bold, expressive designs.
One spark of this explosion was Kukkapuro’s 1982 Experiment chair, which quickly gained international acclaim as a design sensation and a key emblem of postmodernism. Its daring and optimistic look embodied the hopeful spirit of the time and a belief in new possibilities for design.
After being discontinued in the 1990s, the Experiment chair has been given a new lease on life. In the fall of 2024, Swedish brand Hem reintroduced the design in subtly updated versions. This marks the first time Hem, known for publishing contemporary designs, has reissued a design classic.
• Read more: Yrjö Kukkapuro’s Experiment chair: Hem brings a postmodern 80s classic back to life >


The 2020s revival of the Experiment chair was a collaborative effort between Hem and Studio Kukkapuro, led by two next-generation Kukkapuros: daughter Isa Kukkapuro-Enbom and granddaughter Ida Kukkapuro. Isa Kukkapuro-Enbom, who oversees product licensing, explains how the project came to be:
“Hem’s founder, Petrus Palmér, is well-versed in Nordic design, including the work of past generations. While his focus is on creating future classics, he had long wanted to highlight the masters of previous decades.
At the end of 2022, Petrus called and asked if we’d be open to collaborating. He was specifically interested in the postmodern Experiment series. Production had ceased in the mid-90s, so the timing felt right for a revival. Petrus simply asked, ‘Shall we do this together?’ and we said, ‘Yes.’”
• Read more: Interview with Hem founder Petrus Palmér >



Hem’s reissued Experiment chairs stay remarkably true to the original design, with only minor updates to colors, proportions, and construction.
“Hem received the original pieces from Studio Kukkapuro and analyzed their technical details. Their team proposed one major change: scaling up the seat dimensions by 10%. Yrjö was skeptical at first, but when he sat in the prototype, he didn’t even notice the difference. The frame structure was also modified for flat-pack shipping, making it a perfect fit for e-commerce,” Kukkapuro-Enbom explains.
She praises Hem’s professionalism and seamless collaboration throughout the project.
“The Hem team did extensive research, sourced subcontractors, and found manufacturers capable of delivering a high-quality product. While maintaining the original color options, they also had the freedom to propose new ones. The final versions were approved by Yrjö Kukkapuro, and his original 1983 drawings were used in the visual marketing materials.”

Studio Kukkapuro embarked on a new chapter in 2023, ushering in a new generation. Until then, Yrjö Kukkapuro had spent his entire career as a freelance designer. Having started in the 1950s, the legendary designer’s career now spans more than seven decades.
Studio Kukkapuro is based in an atelier building in Kauniainen, near Helsinki, which for decades also served as the home of Yrjö Kukkapuro, artist Irmeli Kukkapuro (1934–2022), and their daughter Isa. The modern, open studio space is a layered showcase of design history, filled with classic chairs and prototypes from different eras. The newly introduced Experiment chairs seamlessly extend this narrative, evoking both memories of the 1980s and a sense of the future.
“Our collaboration with Hem has marked the beginning of a new era for us, opening our eyes to the vast potential of Yrjö Kukkapuro’s unique body of work. It’s been a joy to work with an international partner, and of course, we hope the chair finds its way into people’s homes,” Isa Kukkapuro-Enbom reflects.
Explore Experiment chairs
See also:
• All Experiment chairs at Finnish Design Shop >
• Isa Kukkapuro-Enbom: The Blue Door: Yrjö Kukkapuro Life & Work >
Text: Nora Uotila Photos: Juho Huttunen