Tynell 1965 pendant, FDS 15 Years, silk grey

Tynell’s designs merge together simple and decorative shapes as well as sculptural and natural elements. The lamps are often made of brass and decorated with perforated patterns. Tynell collaborated with notable Finnish architects including Alvar Aalto, and participated in the lighting design of Aalto’s buildings such as the Paimio Sanatorium, Helsinki’s Savoy Restaurant and Viipuri Library. He also gained success in America, where his customers included private homes, lighting manufacturers and New York’s Finland House. During his career Tynell was awarded at the 1929 Barcelona World Fair and 1933 Milan Triennale, and in 1951 he received the first prize at the Good Design Awards.

Today, Tynell’s original designs are collector’s items that reach high prices in auctions. In 2018, the Danish design brand Gubi relaunched a long-awaited collection of Tynell’s designs.

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Would you like to learn more about Paavo Tynell and his work? Discover our books:
Chasing Light: Archival Photographs and Drawings of Paavo Tynell