U L T R A M A R I N E
I photographed a series of unique concept chairs for Aalto University school of Arts and Design. Fourteen furniture design masters students have designed and built armchairs from a rarely seen material: aircraft plywood, that was painted ultramarine blue. The photographs needed to express the dramatic visual language of the designs, as well as have the same experimental attitude.
"It is an extremely durable yet also mouldable material, which was first made use of in aircraft construction during World War II", explains Martin Relander.
"The 1.5mm plywood used for the chairs was manufactured in Finland from Finnish birch trees. For making light armchair prototypes there is probably no better material in existence."
Black and blue
In addition to the ultramarine blue aircraft plywood, the students also used black 15mm x 15mm tubular steel. Their work put emphasis on the cornerstones of furniture design: structure, design, purpose of use, and, most important of all, the designer's personal artistic expression.
All the prototypes have been created by first year masters students, but in the workshops they also received assistance from the carpentry and metallurgy workshop supervisors. In the workshops emphasis was placed both on understanding the possibilities and limits of the material used, and also on understanding the visual impression created by the furniture in its surroundings.
"The well-functioning workshop and good technical appliances and resources enable the development of and experimentation with material-working skills, but at the same time students get to develop their thinking about design. The end result is design which stands out and is of international interest", says Professor Järvisalo.
Client: Aalto University school of Arts and Design
Supervisor: Architecture Professor Jouko Järvisalo
Art Direction: Martin Relander, Noora Liesimaa
Photography & Post Production: Ville Vappula
Chairs and designers:
Art Direction: Martin Relander, Noora Liesimaa
Photography & Post Production: Ville Vappula
Chairs and designers:
Viima, by Anni Pitkäjärvi
Jumper chair, by Anna Lampinen
Jumper chair, by Anna Lampinen
Auvo, by Ines Wartiainen
Levity, by Zsuzanna Horvath
Yin-Yan, by Hao Wu
Yin-Yan, by Hao Wu
Railo by Hanna Särökaari
2plue, by Mirella Peltonen
Taipuva, by Joel Klemetti
Taipuva, by Joel Klemetti
Suspenders, by Henri Judin
Kiiski, by Elina Ulvio
Crook, by Veera Luostarinen
Canneloni, by Fanni Suvila
Kiiski, by Elina Ulvio
Crook, by Veera Luostarinen
Canneloni, by Fanni Suvila
Röd, by Anna Spaak
Aura by Ariane Relander
