Ilmari Tapiovaara

Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914-1999) was one of the greatest interior architects and designers of his time. It is often though that he has captured the essence of Finnish identity, creating dozens of iconic objects that remain famous to this day. Tapiovaara graduated in 1937 from the Department of Furniture Design of the Central School of Art and Crafts in Helsinki. After completing his studies, he worked as an assistant at the office of Le Corbusier's in Paris before becoming art director and designer at Asko Oy, at that time one of Finland's largest furniture manufacturers. During his long career, Tapiovaara has refused to stay within the confines of traditional furniture design. With interests as broad as his talents, he created everything from wood carvings to movie posters and graphics, from sauna stoves to cutlery, even a portable grill. With the mind of an explorer and the soul of a craftsman, he was always looking for new ways to improve things of everyday usage.