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Stockholm Furniture Fair 2018 Shows Progress at Greenhouse

02.20.18 | By
Stockholm Furniture Fair 2018 Shows Progress at Greenhouse

With the strapline “showing progress” 2018’s Greenhouse – the Stockholm Furniture Fair’s showcase of emerging talent – was as strong as ever. “Greenhouse aims to serve as a springboard for unestablished designers and a platform where exhibitors can reach new audiences and share their visions and dreams,” said a statement from the show. 27 design schools and 37 independent designers and studios were selected from hundreds of applications by a jury comprising designer Jens Fager, interior architect Anya Sebton, architect Monica von Schmalensee and designer John Löfgren.

Let Go by University of Bergen student Imkeliene Boersma will only work when two smartphones are inserted into the slots in its base, encouraging people to put the technology down and really engage with one another. In the meantime, the lamp charges the cell phones, so both parties can get back online as soon as they’ve finished their ‘IRL’ conversation. The lamp is made from ash and an iron PLA composite.

Cecilia Xinyu Zhang was born (in 1989) and raised in Beijing, China and now lives and works in Bergen, Norway, having studied in Sweden. Her SV Side Table can be manufactured from a single piece of metal without any waste, comprising as it does a triangular tabletop mimicked in negative space in its frame. “The table is ideal for use as a coffee table for small lightweight objects, or simply to add sculptural presence in space,” she says.

Valeria Sergienko of multidisciplinary studio Nōme Design, makes these Perception cups from waste materials such as denim, leather, paper, plastic, rubber, styrofoam and glass. “The intention of the collection is to connect people with the natural environment and eliminate negative impact through sustainable, skillful, sensitive design,” she says. “The decline of natural resources increasingly forces me to work with non-virgin materials. Seeing waste streams as a future starting point rather than an endpoint became the mission of this project.”

Hangeraki is a multi-functional hanging rack with swinging parts by Canadian design studio Dear Human, otherwise known as Jasna Sokolovic and Noel O’Connell. “Our intent was to animate an ordinary utilitarian object to be more thoughtful and versatile,” they say. “Hangeraki can be used as a towel hanger and vanity in the bathroom, a tie hanger at the office, or a scarf, hat and coat hanger at the front door.”

Continuing with the Canadian theme, Collection 0 is a “sculptural interpretation of the Canadian landscape fused with a Chinese aesthetic while maintaining the functionality and versatility of a living space” by new design studio Hi Thanks Bye. The full collection consists of a shelf-divider, dining chair, side table, rug, bar stool and floor lamp.

Vent by Sarah Hasselqvist and Melinda Urbansdotter is named after the idea of airing things out or getting them off your chest. “It symbolizes the personal gatherings and discussions that arise in a relaxed environment, the way a lounge should be,” say the designers. “The soft, voluminous and playful shapes of our Vent chair came to life when playing with the natural rising shapes of a dough as it interacted with metal structures.”

Student of product and furniture design for some seven years, Linda Loland started her professional practice in 2015 while still studying for her master’s degree at HDK Steneby. “I usually work with our minds’ experience,” she says. “Where the tactile surface and shape will bring emotions to the user – good materials combined with good design create durable products.”

Nikolai Kotlarczyk’s Wompoo dining chair was inspired by the form and colors of Australia’s tropical birds of paradise. Nikolai is an Australian designer based in Copenhagen, Denmark. His work focuses on creating a narrative born of his connection with geography, history, materiality and rituals.

And last but by no means least, Solid Geometry by Troels Flensted is a limited edition of handmade sculptural interior objects. “The collection is an exploration of solid geometric shapes where each interior object is minimalistic, yet bold and colorful,” he says. The colorful flecks in each one are left over from the production process of his Poured Collection, making each one unique.

Katie Treggiden is a purpose-driven journalist, author and, podcaster championing a circular approach to design – because Planet Earth needs better stories. She is also the founder and director of Making Design Circular, a program and membership community for designer-makers who want to join the circular economy. With 20 years' experience in the creative industries, she regularly contributes to publications such as The Guardian, Crafts Magazine and Monocle24 – as well as being Editor at Large for Design Milk. She is currently exploring the question ‘can craft save the world?’ through an emerging body of work that includes her fifth book, Wasted: When Trash Becomes Treasure (Ludion, 2020), and a podcast, Circular with Katie Treggiden.