Artek |
Celebrating 90 Years
To mark the 90th anniversary of Artek, the iconic Finnish company has introduced a selection of timeless furniture pieces from its archives.
Artek |
Celebrating 90 Years
To mark the 90th anniversary of Artek, the iconic Finnish company has introduced a selection of timeless furniture pieces from its archives. The "Gems from the Archive" collection consists of the Stool X602, Cabinet 250 and Screen 100, honouring the internationally renowned legacy of Artek co-founders Alvar & Aino Aalto.
Stool X602 is an exceptional example of Aalto’s ongoing experimentation with wood-bending techniques. Originally unveiled at the Konstruktiv Form exhibition at Stockholm’s Nordiska Kompaniet in 1954, the stool showcases the rare X-leg, a sophisticated evolution of the iconic L-leg developed by Aalto and master carpenter Otto Korhonen.
The special anniversary edition features a hexagonal seat crafted from Karelian birch, a rare variation of silver birch expertly applied using a marquetry technique, adding richness and texture to the piece.
Each limited-edition X602 is marked on the underside with a numbered 90th-anniversary sticker, offering collectors a chance to own a piece of Finnish design history.
Produced in a limited run of 90 stools worldwide, twentytwentyone is the exclusive UK dealer.
The Cabinet 250, often referred to as the “cocktail cabinet”, makes a return to Artek’s collection.
With its understated form, compact dimensions, and well-proportioned interior, Cabinet 250 is a functional storage piece, ideal for housing anything from special tableware to everyday linens or clothing.
While the design was often attributed to Alvar Aalto due to the use of the L-leg, archival documents reveal that Aino Aalto first conceived the idea of attaching a cabinet body to the L-leg, exemplifying her belief that no object should be undeserving of aesthetic beauty.
Additionally, the Screen 100 has been extended to a range of four height options. Crafted from vertically aligned pinewood slats, the screen combines structural integrity with a sense of warmth and organic flow, bringing natural elegance to any interior.
The expanded range includes new heights of 100 cm, 130 cm, and 180 cm, in addition to the standard 150 cm version, providing versatile solutions for various spaces and needs. Flexible in both form and function, each screen can be easily rolled up for compact storage or unfurled to create gently curving lines, adapting effortlessly to the contours and requirements of any room.
Karelian + Honey | Special Editions
London and the UK have always been important in the story of Artek. Two years before Artek was founded, the work of Alvar and Aino Aalto was first presented at the “Wood Only” exhibition at Fortnum & Mason in London in November 1933.
twentytwentyone have been long-standing admirers and collaborators since our formation 30 years ago, and to honour Artek’s anniversary, we have commissioned a special edition Side Table 915 and Stool 60.
Alvar Aalto’s Side Table 915, originally designed in 1932 for the ground-breaking Paimio Sanatorium project, has been specified with a honey-stained top and undershelf, combined with a black painted frame. Inspired by a vintage table at an exhibition in Copenhagen, this version has not been in production since the 1930s-50s era.
The Stool 60 is an exclusive edition offered with a distinctive Karelian birch seat in a warm honey-toned stain, complementing the burr pattern of the wood grain. The stool 60 was selected for the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 1958 and by countless institutions since, underlining its historical importance.
Only 20 pieces of each design have been produced, available to purchase exclusively in the UK through twentytwentyone stores and here.
