Ilmari Tapiovaara was one of the greatest interior architects and designers of his era. With the mind of an explorer and the soul of a craftsman, Tapiovaara was always seeking out new solutions to improve everyday objects. During his long career Tapiovaara created dozens of iconic objects loved by the public. Ilmari Tapiovaara was a great admirer of Alvar Aalto’s work, and he wanted to create products based on the same ideological premises. Tapiovaara embraced the principle of social equality of functionalism, and felt that architecture was the starting point of his design work. In addition to dozens of chairs and other furniture, mostly intended for public spaces, Tapiovaara also designed interiors for many banks, offices, hotels and showrooms starting in the 1940s.

Artek was founded in 1935 by four young idealists - Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen and Nils-Gustav Hahl. The business idea of the company was “to sell furniture and to promote a modern culture of habitation by exhibitions and other educational means.” The core of the Artek product range consists of Alvar Aalto’s furniture and lighting pieces but they also continue to work in close collaboration with prominent international architects, designers and artists, such as Eero Aarnio, Shigeru Ban, Naoto Fukasawa, Harri Koskinen, Juha Leiviskä, Enzo Mari and Tobias Rehberger. While valuing traditions, Artek has at the same time entered a new era. Combining the ideology of the radical founders and a contemporary and dynamic approach to product development, the company is more art and tech than ever.