STOCKHOLM 2015: ERWAN & RONAN BOUROULLEC’S KAARI COLLECTION FOR ARTEK

The latest elegant design from the French designers debuts in Stockholm

‘Kaari’ is the Finnish word for arc and the starting point for the latest design collection from Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec. Created for the iconic Finnish brand Artek, the collection was born out of an unconventional, arc-shaped form that could be used to support a variety of surfaces.

First, the French designers rethought the oft neglected table in a simple yet effective way by adding the arc-shaped structure to a thin, cross-shaped natural oak base, creating a unique silhouette held up by a sort of bare framework. The shape was then adapted to a shelving system and even a desk, becoming a pair of arms to lift the rectangular forms.

The product surfaces are available in a matte, natural linoleum or a smooth high pressure laminate. With the shiny laminate surface, the round table easily becomes a minimal interpretation of the classic French bistrot table, while the linoleum remains classic and functional. All of the tables are designed to age gracefully, gaining a lovely patina with time. The edges of the tables and shelves can also be adapted with different materials including a brilliant, deep red.

With its stripped down, almost graphic lines, the Kaari collection is highly contemporary addition to Artek’s line that still retains the elemental simplicity and elegance that is the brand’s signature.