Scandinavian Design

How Scandinavian Design is described:

"a patchwork of northern European nation states that form a cultural and regional entity tht is very distinct from the rest of Europe."

"sleek and modern"

"Despite the mock funeral service held in 1980 for the term Scandinavian design by a group of Oslo designers, Scandinavian design ideals that emerged in the 1950s have survived in the Nordic countries. This must be seen, in part, as the result of an international interest in this period's design on a world basis. A number of international designers have found a source of inspiration in this "golden age" as well as in our contemporary Nordic design where the demand for minimalism, stylisation and a new interpretation has been dominant. Indeed, many Scandinavian designers have felt this earlier tradition to be a burden, but to an even greater number it has brought inspiration and self-assurance. In the course of half a century, Scandinavian design has become an established phenomenon, retaining its positive resonance. During the flowering of postmodernism in the 1970s and 1980s, there was less focus on the concept, but by the early 1990s however, it had made a comeback. Now the time has come for a serious reassessment of Scandinavian design, including all the countries in the Nordic community that have contributed to the formation of this identity: Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

Traditionally, Scandinavian design has been associated with simple, uncomplicated designs, functionality and a democratic approach. These are the characteristics that must be reassessed in the light of recent research on modernism. In any case, Scandinavian design provides us with a paradigm in order to understand the making of the modern world, and we see that it still has meaning for people the world over. The concept has been a substantial theme for scholarly debates, enlightening exhibitions and marketing agendas for the last fifty years.

Lightness, Quickness, Exactitude, Visibility, Multiplicity and Consistency. Such vital qualities are concepts that are easily associated with many aspects of Scandinavian design,

I took that directly from the scandesign website, because frankly, I can't explain it any better. Of course when we think of Scandinavian design, Ikea comes to mind. I feel that Ikea is Scandinavian design at it's most distilled. Selvedge devoted an entire issue to Scandinavian textiles a few months ago and the work/products they focused on seem so much richer and (and better made) than anything from Ikea. Perhaps it's the handcrafted edge. Perhaps that sleek, modernism appears to have a softer side, becuse Selvedge focuses on textiles.

http://www.amazon.com/Scandinavian-Design-Taschen-Charlotte-Fiell/dp/3822841188
http://www.scandesign.org/scandesign/concepts.do
http://www.tonfisk-design.fi/products/warpVases.html