Design Finland

Linja Design gives up industrial product design

Linja Design, a well known industrial desing consultancy, will give up industrial product design services. They will continue on software user interface design.

Linja Design's product design team will be working for SWECO PIC, continuing with product design projects.

In my opinion, this is a shame. I've found that smaller independent units nurture more profound dedication to creativity and innovation.

Linja Design has been doing some great product designs for companies such as Suunto, Elcoteq and many others.

Go check their portfolio as long it's there...

Thanks for the tip for Perttu from Pajatorio

The press release:

23.08.2006
SWECO PIC AND LINJA DESIGN TO RE-ORGANISE THE DESIGN SECTOR
- LINJA DESIGN CONCENTRATES ON SOFTWARE USER INTERFACE DESIGN
- SWECO PIC STRENGTHENS ITS INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

SWECO PIC Oy and Linja Design Ltd have agreed on the sale of the product design business of Linja Design to SWECO PIC. The sale will take effect on 1 September 2006, making SWECO PIC one of the largest industrial design companies in Finland.

As a result of the sale, the product design team and product design projects of Linja Design, based in Helsinki, will be transferred to SWECO PIC. This will clarify the focus of Linja Design. After the sale Linja Design will employ 14 user interface designers.

"Designing software user interfaces a fast-growing sector and a special area that requires deeper specialisation as the competition grows stronger," says Eljas Perheentupa, Chairman of the Board of Linja Design.

"With the new focus, Linja Design can further deepen its knowledge in user interface design. SWECO PIC is our long-time partner and we know that our award-winning product design team will be working in a company that focuses strongly on design. They will have the support of a large international organisation and will be able to take part in international projects," states Vikki Noreila, Managing Director of Linja Design.

This re-organisation will result in closer cooperation between SWECO PIC and Linja Design, and strengthen the future development of both the user interface design at Linja Design and the industrial design at SWECO PIC.

"We want to be a forerunner – an engineering company that offers integrated product development services and design services for the industry. Engineering companies in general do not offer industrial design services and design companies do not have broad engineering skills. We employ nearly 300 specialists in different areas of product design, mechanics, automation, electronics and design. The industrial designers now moving from Linja Design will further strengthen our services for example in development projects dealing with consumer electronics," says Jaakko Anttila from the Manufacturing Industry R&D unit.

Chao & Eero Jewel

Chao & Eero Jewel is a small jewelry design company, formed by two designers Chao-Hsien Kuo and Eero Hintsanen.  They are located in city of Lahti, but have shops selling their products in various countries. In the US you can get their products through Iluren. Special with Chao & Eero is that they want to have contact with the customer in order to verify size, chain types and possible variations.

I think Chao and Eero have a great gift in making really stylish jewerly that can be wore everyday. More pictures and shop locations can be found from their website.

Paola Suhonen Designs for Cancer Charity

Paola Suhonen of Ivana Helsinki (yes, the fennofolk people) has designed a special packaging for HP Sauce in Finland. This very nice looking packaging will be sold for a limited period and in Finland only.

The money of this campaign will go to charity, namely to the Cancer Association of Finland (Syöpäsäätiö).

Previously, the HP Sauce charity campaign has been running in other countries, with famous designers such as Paul Smith in the UK.

Paola Suhonen is known for working for benefit earlier. Her "Syöpä - Cancer" campaign in 2004 with special shirts gathered lot of positive publicity for organizations fighting the cancer.

Ivana Helsinki Spring/Summer 2007 Preview

Ivana Helsinki, the flag bearer of Fennofolk, has introduced their Spring/Summer 2007 collection. It is called "Dead Butterflies" and it's touring the catwalks around Europe. The first time it was publicly seen in CHP VISION in August, and in the near future the collection can be found during Paris Fashion Week in Vendome 19 early October and in Skandium showroom for the whole month of September.

The actual products start to roll into shops from February onwards.

Nina Jatuli awarded Young Designer of the Year VNS 2006

Nina Jatuli was announced as the winner of The Young Designer 2006 competition. VNS2006 (Vuoden Nuori Suunnittelija) is an competition for young fashion designers in Finland. The winner will get a prize of 5000 Euros sponsored by Suomen Messusäätiö.

Nina Jatuli got the prize from her CORE outfit, consisting of a skirt, blouse and vest. The emphasis of the design lies in practicality.

The award will be handed to Ms. Jatuli on August 21st, in conjunction with Helsinki International Fashion Fair II/2006.

International Magazine Swap Program

For the sake of global innovation and knowledge exchange:

Holly from Decor8 is organizing an international magazine swap program. Especially non-North American swappers are wanted.

If you feel like participating, read the details from Decor8. But hurry up - this offer will end on Aug 25.

Fennia Prize 2007

Fennia Prize is an international design competition with a slogan "good design grows global". This year the competition is divided in product design and open categories, with grand prize worth of €20,000!

Product design category is more traditional design competition, but the open category also welcomes business and service concepts and environments.

Besides money, the finalists will get lot of publicity. Fennia Prize 2007 will be also an exhibition that will tour Finland and other countries during 2007. For new concepts, this is likely to be more worth than the prize money.

The winning products and companies from 2005 and 2003 competition are very popular in their own fields and can be seen in their our everyday lifes.

The entries close September 10, 2006, so hurry up. More information and official rules from Design Forum Finland website.

Stance - Car Design Exhibition

Stance is car and vehicle design exhibition presenting design concepts by students of Lahti Institute of Design. It introduces works of 12 Finnish industrial designers - all working on international projects for the leading car and motorbike manufacturers of the world including Jaguar, Toyota, GE, Ford, Honda, Aprilia, Pininfarina and many others.

The concept vehicles in the exhibition are presented with the eventual miniature concept model and other documentation from the design process.

This exhibition is a must for anyone dreaming of means of future transportation.

Stance - Car Design Exhibition at Design Forum Finland - till August 20, 2006

Fennofolk - a new category for fashion and design

The world knows Alvar Aalto, Eero Saarinen, Tapio Wirkkala and many other legendary names of Finnish design. The new design generation in Finland is not quite the same as these historical names.

The names behind today’s contemporary Finnish design, have breaken the harmony of colors and traditional forms with new experimental elements. The harmony in Fennofolk style means breaking the expected steady rhythm. Opposite elements are presented at the same time and they result the rough, edgy and genuine look of Fennofolk.

Fennofolk combines folkloristic elements from traditions as well as from every day life.

Fennofolk style can be found in all areas of new finnish design. In furniture, glass, wood, clothing and interior design as well as in music and art.

Ivana Helsinki is one of the leading creators of Fennofolk.

Watch out for this new style category and the rising international stars from Finland.

Oka Coat Rack by Teppo Asikainen

Oka coat rack was designed by Teppo Asikainen from Valvomo. It's special in the way that it hangs from the ceiling and can be adjusted in number of positions.

Oka received an honorary mention in FenniaPrize 2005 design competition.

Oka is produced and distributed by Inno. Picture courtesy of Inno.