New Finnish Design Scenarios – A Story about what Happened in the Future will be held in the Meatpacking District in May 2011 during the 24th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City. SCENARIOS will offer an inspirational look at the designers, manufacturers, and products that are shaping the landscape of modern Finnish design, while simultaneously exposing the country’s functional and beautiful products to a wider audience. The event is part of the successful multi-year New Finnish Design project launched in 2007 to promote contemporary Finnish design in North America.
Curated by award-winning interior architect and furniture designer Sari Anttonen, the SCENARIOS event will highlight a wide array of design items and concepts including the latest products from Innojok (incl. designs by Eero Aarnio), Saas Instruments, Vallila Interior, Vivero, and Woodnotes, as well as Mari Isopahkala, Harri Koskinen (designs for Genelec), Hannu Kahnen, Samuli Naamanka (designs for Graphic Concrete, Plastex and Piiroinen), Pentagon design, Heikki Ruoho (designs for Showroom Finland), Ilkka Suppanen (designs for Tikau), Tunto Design, and Annele Valkama. In addition to these newest designs, classic and bestselling Finnish design furniture, lighting fixtures and other interior design objects will allow visitors to familiarize themselves with the ideas, inspirations, and designing processes at the heart of Finnish design. The product selection concentrates on some of the main values in current Finnish design: sustainability, ethical thinking, and sensory reception.
SCENARIOS will include a student workshop that will allow local New York students the opportunity to work with internationally known Finnish companies and designers in the fields of furniture and product design, as well as design students from Finland. During the SCENARIOS event in New York City, students from both countries will work in the event space’s workshop, allowing visitors a first-hand look into the creative process. The students’ designs will then be evaluated by a panel of design experts at the conclusion of the event. The workshop is organized in collaboration with Aalto University.
The SCENARIOS event space will also include a cafeteria serving Nordic delicacies by FIKA Espresso Bar, a pop-up store selling Finnish design items, and a lounge area that will feature lectures and other cultural programming.
New Finnish Design SCENARIOS-A Story about what Happened in the Future is organized by the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York and the Consulate General of Finland in New York, with the support of design Forum Finland. Visual identity is by Ahonen & Lamberg. SCENARIOS is an official satellite event of the international World design Capital Helsinki 2012 project.
