Join the festivities! Alvar Aalto’s wooden relief celebrates Finnish Design Shop’s 20th anniversary
The elegant wooden relief is handcrafted at Artek's factory in Turku, Finland.
ALVAR AALTO'S nearly century-old wooden relief is making a comeback as Finnish Design Shop celebrates its 20th birthday. The birch relief was first introduced to the public in 1933 in the Wood Only exhibition held at the Fortnum & Mason department store in London.
The Wood Only exhibition was a landmark moment for Finnish design, marking Alvar Aalto’s first time introducing his furniture outside of Finland. Image: Fox Photos, Alvar Aalto Foundation.
The wooden relief was included in the exhibition as a decorative element to demonstrate the construction of Aalto's furniture.
The Wood Only exhibition also featured glassware by the Aaltos. Image: Alvar Aalto Foundation
The relief originally served as a dressing – the main purpose was to demonstrate to exhibition visitors the unique structure and construction methods of Aalto's furniture. It’s no wonder the shape feels so familiar: the relief mirrors the flowing curves of the iconic Paimio chair, capturing the essence of its soft, welcoming form.
What started as a technical showcase has become a beautiful testament to Aalto’s visionary approach to both function and form.
Alvar Aalto was a true visionary in the art of bending wood. The birch plywood relief is reissued by Artek in collaboration with the Aalto family.
Artek has produced a limited edition of just 60 pieces, the first 20 of which will be available exclusively at Finnish Design Shop.
Looking familiar? The ornamental part of the relief is derived from Aalto's Paimio seat shell.
The re-released wooden relief pays tribute to both Alvar Aalto’s legacy and Finnish Design Shop's 20-year journey as a pioneer of Nordic design. With just 20 numbered pieces available, the special edition is a true collector’s item.
The relief brings the essence of Finnish nature and timeless design into your home while celebrating two decades of Finnish Design Shop's journey in sharing Scandinavian aesthetics and design with the world.
The relief can be hung either horizontally or vertically, adding versatility to its display. The natural tones of the wood bring a warm and serene touch to any space.
The anniversary relief is available exclusively at Finnish Design Shop. To celebrate the birthday, Finnish Design Shop donates €200 from each relief sold to the Alvar Aalto Foundation to support the conservation of the original flooring in Aalto's studio drawing room.
See also:
• Aalto experimental wood relief at Finnish Design Shop >
• All products by Artek at Finnish Design Shop >
Text: Susa Pääkkönen Images: Mikael Niemi, Edvard Enqvist and Artek
Published on 6 Dec, 2024
