Pro Arte Utili - new aspects to furniture design

The exhibition presents Aalto University's designer students' fresh ideas about furniture design and its changing needs, based on a research project.

Pro Arte Utili exhibition is the outcome of a research project carried out at the Department of Design, aiming at finding new perspectives for the development of furniture in order to meet people’s needs and changing environments. The exhibition features works by six young designers along with their research material. Some of the works are in the form of traditional furnishings, while some of them are in the interface of furniture and space. In their research, each designer comments on how to approach furniture design.

Kaija Aalto studies learning environments and their furnishing using user-centered methods. Aija Hannula's research is based on form and geometric composition. Jaakko Hyvärinen focuses on the research of manufacturing methods and materials and, hence, the possibilities of laser cutting in furniture design. Mette Kahlos studies the effect of light and materials on space and shape. Anna Lampinen makes material research by studying flexible materials, bindings and the possibilities of textiles in furniture design. Essi Similä, in her research, contemplates the current state of furniture design and searches for solutions through street art practices.

“With support of the research project I have had the freedom to develop my own artistic vision. Some of the project has also been possible to implement in practice, which is rarely possible. When the work has not remained only on the level of just ideas, I have been able to deepen the topic and go through what the process requires at work life, "says Mette Kahlos.

The exhibition also comments on the current state of furniture design in Finland. "Our remarkable furniture design tradition will not survive without revolutionary new solutions. A years long research project has allowed our designer students to focus on one theme for a long time and examine it thoroughly", says Jouko Järvisalo, professor emeritus at Aalto University, who together with university lecturer  Martin Relander has acted as the research project leader. The project has been supported by the Furniture Foundation.

Welcome to the opening November 14 at 5–7 pm!

Date: November 15–26, Mon–Fri 12–6 pm, Sat–Sun 12–4 pm

Venue: Gallery Lemmetti, Yrjönkatu 8, 00120 Helsinki