Ultima Thule ice-lip pitcher is part of Iittala’s iconic glassware range created in 1968 by Tapio Wirkkala. The inspiration for the collection was found from the melting spring ice of Northern Finland. Ultima Thule is based on a so-called ice glass technique developed together by Wirkkala and Iittala – the forms imitate nature and gradually change as the molten glass burns the surface of the wooden moulds. In 1969, the Finnish airline Finnair chose Ultima Thule for its new route from Helsinki to New York, and the glassware is still in use at Finnair’s Business Class. Ultima Thule crystallizes the expressive power of Finnish glass design, and the distinctive classic contributed to Iittala’s international breakthrough. Ultima Thule has become one of Iittala’s most popular glassware ranges and it shows very well Wirkkala’s view according to which simple objects are the ones that require most work.
Ultima Thule ice-lip pitcher
Iittala
Description
Ultima Thule ice-lip pitcher is part of Iittala’s iconic glassware range created in 1968 by Tapio Wirkkala. The inspiration for the collection was found from the melting spring ice of Northern Finland. Ultima Thule is based on a so-called ice glass technique developed together by Wirkkala and Iittala – the forms imitate nature and gradually change as the molten glass burns the surface of the wooden moulds. In 1969, the Finnish airline Finnair chose Ultima Thule for its new route from Helsinki to New York, and the glassware is still in use at Finnair’s Business Class. Ultima Thule crystallizes the expressive power of Finnish glass design, and the distinctive classic contributed to Iittala’s international breakthrough. Ultima Thule has become one of Iittala’s most popular glassware ranges and it shows very well Wirkkala’s view according to which simple objects are the ones that require most work.
Product details (5)
- Material
- Glass
- Colour
- Clear
- Height
- 207 mm
- Capacity
- 150 cl
- Care instructions
- Wash by hand. Not suitable for microwave and hot beverages.
- Product ID
Designer
Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) can be described as one of the icons of Finnish design and a symbol of the international success of postwar Finnish design. He was a versatile designer and artist who could shift fluently between different materials and crossed established professional boundaries: he worked on everything from refrigerators to banknotes and from furniture to striking jewels. The most important materials for Wirkkala were wood and glass – he never ceased to explore the possibilities they offer.
Tapio Wirkkala studied sculpture at the Helsinki Central School of Industrial Design from 1933 until 1936, but he was also a self-studied artist in many areas, including glass design. His success as a glass artist began in 1946 when he designed one of his most famous works, the Kantarelli vase, for Iittala. Wirkkala gained worldwide success in 1951 at the Milan Triennial, where he received three Grand Prix awards: for the exhibition architecture, glass design and wooden sculptures. Many of his glass works for Iittala were awarded also later in the 1950s at the Milan Triennial. In the years 1951-1954, Wirkkala worked as the artistic director of Helsinki Central School of Industrial Design. In 1955 he received a Pro Finlandia medal and in 1972 the Academy of Finland's honorary title of academician.
The first mass-production glassware range designed by Wirkkala was the Tapio series launched in 1954. The popular Ultima Thule glassware range, created in 1968, was based on the so-called ice glass technique, and the designer himself was involved in developing it at the Iittala glass factory. Wirkkala received also important commissions from abroad: in the mid-1960s he started to design glass objects for Venini Glassworks in Italy, where he created the Bolle bottles for the Venice Biennale collection in 1966. One of Wirkkala’s most important commissions abroad was the work at the Rosenthal porcelain factory in Germany: he worked as a freelance designer for Rosenthal for almost 30 years, and the most important result was the Paper Bag vase (1977), still today one of Rosenthal’s best selling products.
Tapio Wirkkala was also a furniture designer and a sculptor. He started his career as a sculptor in the 1930s, but abandoned the traditional sculpture in the post-war years – in the early 1950s, alongside with other works, he started to develop an entirely new relationship with sculpture and a new technique to be used. The result was a series of unique plywood sculptures which combined form and movement in the vibrant, densely lineated surface of plywood. Wirkkala’s sculptures represented exceptional abstractism and gave Finnish sculpture art a new direction at a time when the official line preferred monuments and heroic sculptures.
View all productsReviews (2)
5
Based on 2 reviews
-
A
Anonimo
Capranica, Italy
La brocca Ultima Thule rende perfettamente l’idea di Alvar Aalto: un blocco di ghiaccio che in primavera si scioglie nella Finlandia del nord. Bellissima.
283 days ago
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M
Martin A
77 days ago
Sustainability
The Product Sustainability Framework, our criteria of sustainable design, helps you find the most sustainable products in our selection. Read below which sustainability criteria this product has met.
Working conditions & labour 8/9
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Equal opportunities for all employees -
Commitment to UN Global Compact, fair compensation for all employees
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Corporate responsibility requirements defined and communicated for suppliers
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Systematic work for improved inclusion and well-being in the workplace
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Transparent supply chain
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Suppliers' compliance to a code of conduct ensured
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Compliance to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights ensured in the supply chain
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Support for community involvement in the supply chain
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Direct suppliers audited and certified
Eco-friendly production 7/9
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Fair and resource-wise water-use in production
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No incineration or landfilling of returned items
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No use of endangered species as materials
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No direct environmental emissions or waste (excl. GHGs) from production
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The sustainability of direct suppliers' production is addressed and monitored
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Material-efficient and ecological packaging
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Positive impact on nature’s well-being through operations that regenerate natural ecosystems
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Production and material sourcing that respect biodiversity, animal rights, and natural ecosystems
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No potentially harmful chemicals used in own production
Climate impact 5/8
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Company's direct greenhouse gas emissions identified and commitment to reduction
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Product's carbon impact identified and commitment to reduction
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Guidance on energy- and eco-efficient use of the product
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Contribution to climate initiatives beyond the brand’s direct operations
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Low-carbon or compensated transportation
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Carbon footprint of the product calculated and goals set to reduce it
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100 % renewable energy in own production and operations
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Carbon neutral or carbon negative product
Sustainable materials 4/6
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Sustainable and long-lasting material choices
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No harmful or hazardous substances
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Responsible raw material sourcing and production
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Ecological materials: natural, biodegradable, recyclable or recycled contents
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Materials suited for circularity: monomaterials, recyclable finishings, renewable or recycled contents etc.
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Outstanding materials in terms of innovativeness, responsibility, sustainability and circularity: local production or sourcing, 100 % recycled content, C2C-certification etc.
Circular design 4/5
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High aesthetic quality promoting long-term use of the product
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Technically durable product design and material choices
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Design for enduring life-long quality
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Innovative circular design solutions: circular service system, resale platform, remanufacturing, collection of used products, etc.
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Design and support for product maintenance, repair and upgradability
