PELATA pieces launched in 2024 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Finnish Design Shop. Crafted by celebrated Nordic designers, the wooden PELATA games and instruments are the perfect excuse to bring friends together. We caught up with TAF Studio, Anderssen & Voll, Studio Tolvanen, and Kaksikko to get the inside scoop.
PLAYTIME MEETS PREMIUM DESIGN. To celebrate two full decades of delivering Pieces of Nordic Happiness worldwide, Finnish Design Shop launched PELATA pieces in September 2024 – a playful collection of wooden games and musical instruments dreamed up in collaboration with top design studios like Studio Kaksikko, Anderssen & Voll, Studio Tolvanen, and TAF Studio.
The PELATA mission is simple: embracing the extraordinary in everyday life. The sculptural pieces are carefully crafted in Finland and are designed to elevate both your decor and your spirits. Order your favorites now at Finnish Design Shop!
Studio Kaksikko: Huippa
Hi Salla and Wesley! Studio Kaksikko was involved in the PELATA project from the very beginning. Could you share how the collaboration with Finnish Design Shop came about?
“We’ve had a good relationship with Finnish Design Shop ever since we got to know the company after winning the FDS Award back in 2016 with our wooden Perch stool. The competition was a crucial boost at the beginning of our career and we've been hoping to work on a project together ever since. We approached Finnish Design Shop in 2023 with a different project proposal and the conversation quickly pivoted to the idea of helping create an in-house brand for Finnish Design Shop's 20th anniversary.”
“It has been refreshing to think about what would be fun for consumers rather than focusing strictly on practical concerns.”
As key contributors to the PELATA collection and brand, what have been the most exciting highlights of this project for you?
“PELATA stands out from other work we've done because it's all about games and instruments rather than strictly functional items. It has been refreshing to think about what would be fun for consumers and what would represent the festive spirit of Finnish Design Shop's 20th anniversary – rather than focusing strictly on practical concerns like ergonomics, strength, and lightness.
We try to work with companies who have a solid sustainability framework and this is something we respect about Finnish Design Shop. Especially working with local producers is very important as it helps to sustain the heritage of woodworking in Finland and saves resources compared with outsourcing production to faraway locations. We are proud that all the Pelata Pieces are presently made in Finland and that our game, Huippa, is made of Finnish birch.”
Huippa! That sounds like fun, can you tell us a bit more about your design?
“Huippa is a modern take on a classic ring toss game that was one of Salla's childhood favorites. We aimed to create a version with a reimagined structure. That’s when we came up with the idea of the accordion construction of the classic collapsible coat rack, also a familiar item from Salla's home.
Our goal was to design a game that is accessible to everyone, yet challenging enough to keep you hooked. A game, that is easy to just take out and start playing. We love the fact that thanks to the soft jute rings Huippa can also be played indoors – since at least in Finland the summer is too short to truly master this game!”
Anderssen & Voll: Sokkelo, Krroc and Bic-Bac-Boc
Hallo Torbjørn and Espen! You designed in total three products for the PELATA collection – the labyrinth game Sokkelo and the playful percussion instruments Krroc and Bic-Bac-Boc. Could you tell us a bit about the vision and process behind these items?
“The maze is a cherished classic game, but with new CNC technology, we had the opportunity to reimagine it in a fresh shape and construction. Drawing inspiration from natural landscapes such as valleys, sand dunes, and waves, we designed a hilly terrain that guides the steel ball's path. We also aimed to create a more intuitive connection between the eye and hand in controlling the game. With its circular shape and rounded bottom, the solution of Sokkelo is literally in your hands.
For the percussion instruments Krroc and Bic-Bac-Boc, we explored various wood species and their resonance qualities. For Bic-Bac-Boc, the direction of the wood grain was also crucial in shaping its sound. We wanted strong characters for both instruments: to us, Krroc resembles a crocodile, while Bic-Bac-Boc gradually turned into a lake-dwelling troll – its eye just above the waterline.”
“We love the fact that the PELATA initiative is based on the World Happiness Report, ranking Finland to be the happiest nation in the world for the past seven consecutive years.”
In what way do you think the PELATA collection stands out from other projects you’ve worked on?
“Design is fun and for this project, we were designing just for fun. This was our first stab at designing a game and for sure also the first time we have created instruments. We love the fact that the PELATA initiative is based on the World Happiness Report report by The Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, ranking Finland to be the happiest nation in the world for the past seven consecutive years. Is it the sauna? Is it the rye bread? Or the vodka?”
What are your favorite games? Care to share a story related to them?
Espen: “Table tennis was a major game growing up with many siblings. My father, an architect, had designed an indoor swimming pool in our new house – highly anticipated by us kids. The large concrete hole looked promising but proved crazy expensive and in the end, we decided to simply put a floor on top. Since then this room was always called 'the pool' – very confusing for visitors who were invited to a game of table tennis in the pool. We never became skilled water people but we certainly learned to do a proper backspin.”
Torbjørn: “Any ball or court game hits the mark for me – badminton was a particular favorite. My father used to teach at the local junior high school, and every weekend we'd head to his school with the neighbor kids to play in the gym hall. I distinctly remember being about five years old and how just entering this vast cathedral-like hall triggered me to run.”
TAF Studio: Prikka
Hejsan Gabriella and Mattias! PELATA pieces celebrates Finnish Design Shop’s 20th anniversary. What memories and stories have you gathered over the years with Finnish Design Shop?
”First of all, happy birthday to Finnish Design Shop on their 20-year milestone! Finnish Design Shop is such a lovely company, and we’ve long used their carefully curated selection as a benchmark for quality and a way to stay up-to-date with the latest in contemporary design.
We remember the early days of Finnish Design Shop and how innovative it was to exist almost entirely online at a time when that was still rare. Finnish Design Shop is often the first to reach out to us after we release a new project, and we believe that their forward-thinking mindset and curiosity about new ideas are what have made them so successful.”
“Why we chose backgammon as a concept probably stems from our romanticized view of it. We imagine warm, slow, lazy days in the Mediterranean.”
TAF Studio designed the Prikka backgammon board for the PELATA collection, which also doubles as a tray. What's the story behind Prikka?
“Why we chose backgammon as a concept probably stems from our romanticized view of it. We imagine warm, slow, lazy days in the Mediterranean. Old, sun-weathered villagers with beautiful wrinkles, sipping drinks and playing under an olive tree.
The board is often made of fragrant wood, with a charming graphic pattern. Backgammon is almost like chess, but the nature of the game is friendlier – you need to be strategic and smart, but also lucky with the dice. That means you don’t need to feel foolish when losing.
However, sometimes you just don't feel like playing a game or don't have enough time to play. We talked a lot about wanting to incorporate a function in the design that goes beyond just gaming. From the start, we envisioned Prikka doubling as a serving tray. The design and pattern are functional for the game, but the aesthetic is also a bit abstract and minimalist – qualities we value in a tray. We wanted to work with a long-lasting natural material and ultimately chose solid beech wood.”
You mentioned wanting to create a long-lasting product. How important is sustainability in your design philosophy?
“Sustainability holds a very central and essential position in our work. Naturally, both we and the clients we collaborate with aim to use the most sustainable materials, good packaging, efficient transport, and easily recyclable components. But we believe the real key lies in shifting the mindset around consumption and changing existing structures. Consuming less and opting for higher-quality, longer-lasting products is crucial – sustainable items cost a bit more, but they have a longer lifespan and potential for multiple lives.
'Quality' and the notion of it should be something taught in schools. In an ideal world, buying 'cheap copies' or poorly produced items would be discouraged. This is challenging, but it's something we strive for in our designs – we hope that Prikka will be a product that's passed on, used in different ways, and cherished for generations to come.”
Studio Tolvanen: Metsäpallo
Hi there Mika and Julie! You designed the bowling game Metsäpallo for the PELATA collection. Where did the idea for the game come from?
“Julie is American and noticed a quirk of Finnish culture: Finns love their pine trees. It's ok to cut spruce, says everyone, but keep the pines! So when Finnish Design Shop asked us to design a game, we just had fun with that idea and the story of the game sparked from that observation.”
Take us through the design process of Metsäpallo?
”Metsäpallo is the first game we've designed. However, we've been recently involved in more sculptural art projects and this fits into the same kind of language. We wanted to create a sculptural, playful forest game. First, we needed to find understandable, simplified shapes that represent each type of tree: birch, spruce, and pine. We wanted to give each tree a distinct character but also needed them to stand steady on the grass and topple elegantly.
We also made sure that when the wooden ball hits the trees, it makes a satisfying sound. As a kid, Julie's family played croquet in their backyard and the fun competition, bright colors, and the sound of the balls clicking against each other still bring back happy memories of those summer days.”
How do you envision Metsäpallo being used?
“Metsäpallo is for people to have fun together, and enjoy each other's company on a sunny afternoon. We aim to create objects people will treasure.”
See more:
• www.pelatapieces.com >
• PELATA pieces at Finnish Design Shop >
• PELATA pieces is the first signature collection by Finnish Design Shop >
Text: Mira Ahola Images: Juho Huttunen and Mikael Niemi