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Ilmari Tapiovaara

Finnish, 1914-1999

During the mid-20th century, Finnish furniture designer Ilmari Tapiovaara worked with pine, teak and his country’s native birch to create sleek and sculptural chairs, dining room tables and bookcases in the Scandinavian modern style. Tapiovaara’s areas of expertise expanded beyond furniture to include interior architecture, wooden sculptures, film posters and cutlery.

After completing his studies at the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki, Tapiovaara embarked on a design career that would envelop his entire life. As a young man, Tapiovaara idolized revered architect and furniture designer Alvar Aalto — whom, with his wife, Aino Aalto, cofounded Artek, the company that would eventually manufacture the majority of Tapiovaara’s creations. The budding designer had one of Aalto’s chairs in his apartment while he was a student. After graduating, he worked as an assistant in an office at Le Corbusier, then as a designer and artistic director at Asko

By 1951, Tapiovaara and his wife, Annikki, had established their own studio. A few years previous, the pair had designed the now-legendary Domus chair while creating interiors and furnishings for a new student housing complex in Helsinki. Made of molded plywood and easily stackable, the ergonomic Domus chair, with its slender form, featured a modest silhouette — its lightweight structure allowed for easy exporting, and iconic mid-century modern furniture manufacturer Knoll added a low-backed version to its offerings in the early 1950s. (It was marketed as the Finn chair in the United States.)

Tapiovaara went on to design pieces for Pihlgren ja Ritola and Santa and Cole. His experience earned him teaching positions at the Institute of Applied Arts, the Helsinki University of Technology and the Illinois Institute of Technology. While in Chicago for the latter, he worked in the office of Mies van der Rohe.

Tapiovaara centered his passion for design on social responsibility. He wanted his creations to be accessible to everyone, which was the concept behind his democratic approach. In Finland’s postwar era, the goal was exemplary, affordable designs. With this in mind, he created products such as stackable chairs and “knock-down” pieces packed flat, so they shipped efficiently and cost less. 

An influential champion of his profession, he spent two decades as a United Nations ambassador, working to improve design’s contribution to society. His lasting, collectible furniture is a testament to the designer’s goal to create humane, radiant and intimate spaces. The United Nations project included traveling to Paraguay to create much-needed furniture. A similar project followed in Mauritius.

Tapiovaara’s success as an industrial and mass producer of everyday furniture was widely recognized and awarded. He received six gold medals for his chairs alone at the Milan Triennials. He also accepted a Good Design award, the Finnish State Design Award, a prize from the Finnish Culture Foundation and the Furniture Prize of the SIO Interior Architects’ Association of Finland.

Find vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara seating, tables and lighting on 1stDibs.

Ilmari Tapiovaara for La Permanente Mobili Cantù Double Bed Walnut Leather
By Ilmari Tapiovaara
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ilmari Tapiovaara for Esposizione La Permanente Mobili, double bed, walnut, leather, Italy, circa 1960. This exceptionally rare bed is designed by Finnish designer Ilmari Tapiovaara...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara

Materials

Leather, Walnut

Ilmari Tapiovaara Three Seat Sofa in Cognac Leather and Teak
By Ilmari Tapiovaara, Esposizione Permanente mobili Cantù
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ilmari Tapiovaara for Esposizione La Permanente Mobili manufactured by Paolo Arnaboldi, sofa, teak, leather, brass, Italy, 1957. This three-seat sofa is designed by Finnish designer...
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara

Materials

Brass

Ilmari Tapiovaara for La Permanente Mobili Cantù Set of Six Dining Chairs
By Ilmari Tapiovaara, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Ilmari Tapiovaara for La Permanente Mobili Cantù, darkened beech, cognac leather, Italy, 1950s These robust chairs by Ilmari Tapiovaara feature a geometric frame for the patinated c...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara

Materials

Leather, Beech

Ilmari Tapiovaara for La Permanente Mobili Cantù Bookcase in Teak
By Ilmari Tapiovaara, La Permanente Mobili Cantù
Located in Waalwijk, NL
IImari Tapiovaara for La Permanente Mobili Cantù, bookcase, teak, fabric, Italy, circa 1957 Crafted from teak, this exquisite bookcase is the creation of Finnish designer Ilmari Tap...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara

Materials

Fabric, Teak

Mademoiselle mid century easy chair by Ilmari Tapiovaara for Edsbyverken, Sweden
By Edsby-verken, Ilmari Tapiovaara
Located in Forserum, SE
Mademoiselle easy chair designed by renowned Finnish architect Ilmari Tapiovaara for Edsbyverken, Sweden, 1956. This striking piece features solid beech dowels and a contoured plywoo...
Category

1950s Swedish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara

Materials

Beech, Plywood

Ilmari Tapiovaara 'Maija' Pendant Lamp in Brass and White for Santa & Cole
By Santa & Cole, Ilmari Tapiovaara
Located in Glendale, CA
Ilmari Tapiovaara 'Maija' pendant lamp in brass and white for Santa & Cole Founded in 1985 in Barcelona, Santa & Cole produces iconic pieces by such luminaries as llmari Tapiovaara,...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ilmari Tapiovaara

Materials

Metal, Brass

Ilmari Tapiovaara Large 'Maija' Pendant Lamp in Brass and White for Santa & Cole
By Ilmari Tapiovaara, Santa & Cole
Located in Glendale, CA
Ilmari Tapiovaara large 'Maija' pendant lamp in brass and white for Santa & Cole Founded in 1985 in Barcelona, Santa & Cole produces iconic pieces by such luminaries as llmari Tapiovaara, Miguel Milá and other European icons with a commitment to faithfully re-edition their legendary designs with uncompromising attention to detail, materials and craftsmanship. The 'Maija' pendant lamp, designed in 1955 by Ilmari Tapiovaara, was inspired from typical Baltic cities, where public lighting was scarce and instead streets were illuminated by light streaming through the window shades...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Mid-Century Modern Ilmari Tapiovaara

Materials

Metal, Brass

Ilmari Tapiovaara Floor Lamp “Maija the bee” / Maija Mehiläinen by Hienoteräs
By Ilmari Tapiovaara
Located in Limhamn, Skåne län
Rare and early floor lamp “Maija the bee” / Maija Mehiläinen designed by Ilmari Tapiovaara. Produced by Hienoteräs in Finland.
Category

1950s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Ilmari Tapiovaara

Materials

Metal, Brass

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Ilmari Tapiovaara furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Ilmari Tapiovaara furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Ilmari Tapiovaara furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 164 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 10 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Ilmari Tapiovaara were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Yrjö Kukkapuro, Carl Gustaf Hiort af Ornäs, and Artek. Prices for Ilmari Tapiovaara furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $384 and can go as high as $91,647, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,136.

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