The third international EcoDesign special exhibition will present ecological multifunctional furniture from 100 internationally recognised designers at the Habitare fair at the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre from 14 to 18 September 2011. The world-renowned designer Konstantin Grcic is the guest of honour at the exhibition.
Top international designers and up-and-coming talents from Finland and abroad will be invited to the EcoDesign exhibition. The goal is to attract designs that have several functions. Designers have a free hand in designing and implementing an ecological product under the theme ‘multifunction’. The starting point for the designs should be environmental friendliness in manufacture, material choice, manufacturing process, packaging and logistics; durability; maintainability; and recyclability.
The guest of honour, Konstantin Grcic of Germany, is one of today’s most prominent industrial designers. Grcic was named Design Miami’s 2010 Designer of the Year, and the same year he won the Wallpaper Design Award in the Furniture designer of the year category.
“Function has always been the essential motivation for design. However, the interpretation of what function means has significantly broadened. The function of an object refers not only to its practical use but contains considerations that affect many aspects of a product's life,” says Grcic.
“Besides its practical function, good design has to evoke emotional senses. The identity of a product, the way it looks, feels, the memories it stores – all this is just as important as comfort, stackability and so on. On another level, there are functions that are less apparent to the end user. An object has to be producible, which is a function in itself, just like the fact that it can be stored, packaged and dispatched. Even the latter phases of a product's life cycle are to be considered: can it be repaired in case it fails, how will it be disposed of or recycled?”
“My concept of 'multifunction' doesn't aim at a literal interpretation only – objects that combine multiple practical functions. Multifunctional refers to the many different layers of functions within a product life cycle, and they are all relevant in identifying the ecological profile.”
The EcoDesign exhibition is produced by the advertising agency Valo and organised by the Finnish Fair Corporation. The exhibition’s assistant curator will be Timo Salli, a designer and Professor at the Aalto University School of Art and Design. At the exhibition opening on 14 September 2011, the designer/designer group whose product best meets the criteria of a multifunctional design will be awarded a €5,000 prize donated by the Finnish Fair Foundation.
More information on the EcoDesign special exhibition:
Advertising agency Valo, Creative Director Jari Pirhonen, tel. +358 50 525 7062, mail@mainostoimistovalo.fi
More information on Habitare:
The Finnish Fair Corporation, Communications Officer Maria Rossi, tel. +358 9 150 9316, maria.rossi@finnexpo.fi
The Habitare furniture, interior decoration and design fair is organised annually. The next fair will take place from 14 to 18 September 2011. The event offers everything for the interior design of homes and public spaces. In conjunction with Habitare, the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre will host the Valo Light lighting event, the ArtHelsinki contemporary art fair and the Salon antique fair. All events can be accessed with the same ticket.