Turku has been chosen to be the European Culture Capital 2011 (http://www.turku2011.fi/uutiset/design-shop-tuotteet_fi). The city has established an information desk and a meeting point called 2011 Kulma in Turku city center by river Aurajoki (in address Kristiinankatu 1). In 2011 Kulma premeses they offer information linked to the culture year, tickets are been sold to the events, and also they have a café and a Design Shop there. Turku Design Now! group sells their products for three months in Kulma 2011 Design Shop. Here are a few examples on what is being presented in the shop.
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| Entrance of the shop |
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| The overall look of the store |
Woodloop (http://www.woodloop.fi/) is a company started up by an architect and designer in wood Tero Pelto-Uotila. The company produces design items made of wood, such as furnitures and wall rugs, but also body care products. In 2011 Kulma shop there was presented these Kuura body care product which is for washing, peeling and massage of the body and skin. Kuura is complitely made of wood, which has been processed harsh by strong water shower to brake the surface of the wood. The invention is protected with a patent.
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| Kuura body washer |
On the wall just next to the entrance there was on display a wall rug by Woodoo. The surface of the wall rug is processed the same way than on Kuura washer, and the harsh look fits both the products very well. This wall rug has a very contemporary look and I believe it doesn't only create modern yet warm look to a space, but it also isolates voices a bit. I personally like the way that tradition (material and function of the products) and modernism (form and design) is been combined in these products.
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| A wall rug by Woodloop |
Klo Design
Klo Design (http://klodesign.fi/) is a design company, which is formed by young designers from different branchies of design. The company's collection includes furniture, interior textiles and accessories. I really liked the look of these products. I think the products looked very fresh and youthful and the textile pattern designs were the same time modern and timeless. To me this is the way of contemporary Finnish textile design.
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| Klo Design's fresh-looking decorative pillow cases. |
Kui Design
The landscape of Turku was presented very well in the design products of Kui Design (http://www.kuidesign.com/). The young designers Rebekka Ketola and Anna Hormio are clearly very proud of their home town as they have illustrated charasteristic places of Turku in their textiles. Personally I'm not sure if I'd like to have a pillow or bag that says Turku because it's not my home town. But I liked the graphic look on these products very much! The also liked the way that the designers had included places from their home town to the products: they had used the grid plan and the silhuettes of charasteristic buildings of Turku ogenher on the prints. Maybe tha picture is enough? I think if the word "Turku" wasn't stated in these products, they might have even more commercial potential? My favourite print was the picture of "Föri", a ferry that carries pedestrians and bikers across Aura river. And I think the illustration worked perfectly n it's own, without any text.
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| Föri print |
Punainen Norsu (http://www.punainennorsu.com/) is a collection of children's wear made mostly of recycled materials. I loved the fabrics which have a popular retro-look, and the products design which I found very timeless. But what I liked most in these products was how child-like they were. I think they encourage for safe carefree childhood rather than offer trendy tank tops for small children. Pay attention to the display: the products hand from a branch of a tree! In my opinion this display strategy in very well in line with the design of the products.
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| Punainen Norsu's colourful children's wear |
The slogan of Tonfisk Design (eng. "Tuna Fish Design") is: "Form follows function doesn't mean alla objects have to look the same". The Tonfisk Design's (http://shop.tonfisk-design.fi/PublishedService?&frontpage=true) products have their own unique form and design, but at the same time they have brilliant functional solutions in their products, too! For example in Newton milk & sugar set the sugar cup is on the top of the milk jug. The mechanism is based on gravity. While you tip the milk jug, the sugar bowl remains level. Beautiful form is combined with a functional design idea! All og the products are been produced in a ceramic factory in Turku.
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| Newton by Tanja Sipilä proves gravity! Included Metropolitan Home magazine's DESIGN 100 best of the best list. |
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| The WARM range by Brian Keany was included in Wallpaper magazine's list of "A decade of Design". |
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| Kasvu, an extendable vase by Brian Keany |
WooDoo Design (http://www.woodoodesign.fi/etusivu.php) is a design office that designs and produces interior design products and furniture, but also designs interiors and fair departments. In 2011 Kulma shop was on desplay some of their products. WooDoo Design's products are made of wood, metal and glass, which are perfect for the contemporary, clear-lined and functional essence of these products.
All and all, in my opinion the range of design products in Turku Design Now! shop represented very high quality of contemporary Finnish Design. Turku Design Now! -group's products are been sold there from the beginning of July untill the end of September. So there's still some left time to visit!
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