Finnish furniture design company Artek recently announced its acquisition of HKT Korhonen’s furniture production of Alvar Aalto designs. This strategic move ensures the continuity and further development of Aalto’s products, while also offering a framework for Artek’s future product development.

Artek’s long history of expertise with wood, and Finnish birch wood in particular, began with the relationship between Alvar Aalto and Otto Korhonen that led to the development of new ways to bend wood. This resulted in the bent L-shaped leg, as seen on the iconic Stool 60.

The new manufacturing process also led to an opportunity to develop standardisation – an idea championed by Aalto – and mass production at the factory level. The L-leg was followed in the 1940s by the Y-leg, and in the 1950s by the X-leg. Korhonen’s know-how of woodworking techniques combined with Aalto’s visionary sense of form and his mastery of technology created the foundation for the birth of what is now the Artek design collection.

Artek was purchased by Vitra AG in September 2013. Under this new ownership, the company has access to a larger and more international market.

Artek
artek.fi