Norwegian designer Daniel Rybakken created Artek's 124° collection of sculptural mirrors. We met the award-winning designer and asked about his cooperation with the Finnish brand.
Who:
• Daniel Rybakken, born in 1984 in Oslo
• Design offices in Oslo and Gothenburg since 2008
• Works with art and design, often on the themes of daylight and its recreation artificially
• Awards include the Red Dot Award (2007), Bruno Mathsson Award (2011), Compasso d'Oro (2014 and 2016), and Wallpaper* Design Award (2017)
Hi Daniel! How did you start working with Artek?
“The beginning was a bit unusual. In most cases, companies know what the designer has done in the past and want something similar for their collection. Now, I was asked to design modern furniture that would complement Artek’s classic collection, even though I’m better known for my lighting design.
I met Artek’s Managing Director Marianne Goebl when the Bouroullec brothers’ Kaari furniture was launched in Stockholm in 2014. There was great trust between us from the very beginning, and I appreciate it. I wanted to research the core features of Artek products and reflect them in my own creations, without making a pastiche or a copy of Alvar Aalto’s furniture.”
Tell us more about the 124° mirror collection.
“The starting point was the hallway as space in the home, so I decided to design mirrors and coat racks. The 124° mirror is a practical, yet sculptural work of art. At first, we tried to make the mirrors from glass, but they became too thick, so we ended up with thin, polished steel sheets. 124° mirrors can be mounted on the wall, or used as freestanding objects, which makes them a versatile piece of home decoration for everyday use. The medium version comes with a practical wooden shelf, ideal for example for a green plant.”
“Although I designed the 124° mirror, I am sometimes surprised looking into it myself!”
Why does the mirror have an angle?
“The angle makes the mirror a lot more interesting, because it doesn’t allow you to see your own reflection directly from the front. Although I designed the mirror myself, I am sometimes surprised looking into it myself! The 124-degree angle is perfect, as both mirrors reflect a different view.”
The other product line you designed for Artek is the Kiila product family, which includes two vertical racks, a top and a bench. How did they come about?
“The Kiila pieces are not only my first wooden pieces of furniture, but also my very first furniture overall. I got the idea for the coat stand and rack from the camera tripod in my office, where I hang my outer clothes. Another source of inspiration for the design was the coat rack in my childhood home, which always crashed down under the weight of all jackets whenever we had a party in the house.
The Kiila coat stand is both sturdy and easy to transport and assemble. The clever, industrially reproducible design makes it an Artek product. I also wanted the steel parts or screws not to be hidden; they are part of the whole.”
“The Kiila pieces are not only my first wooden pieces of furniture, but also my very first furniture overall.”
You live in Gothenburg. How come you moved from Norway to Sweden?
“I met my spouse when I was an exchange student at the School of Arts & Crafts in Gothenburg, and I enjoy spending time with my family in a small town. Gothenburg is also interesting for design jobs: people go abroad from there. When I first participated in the Salone Satellite for young designers at the Milan Furniture Fair in spring 2008, there probably were more students from Gothenburg than from Stockholm. In addition, Gothenburg is also an industrial hub, which makes it easy to make prototypes.”
How do you design products?
“I prefer brainstorming rather than accurate 3D models. My father and my spouse are graphic designers and making of Photoshop designs and Illustrator drawings is natural for me, too. This shows in my work, they are pretty graphic.”
Would you like to continue with furniture design?
”Yes, with pleasure! Lighting design is familiar for me, so furniture will provide enough of a challenge for a while.”
See also:
• All Daniel Rybakken's designs >
• All products from Artek >
Text: Mikko Vaija Images: Artek and Studio Daniel Rybakken