Ilmari Tapiovaara

Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914-1999) was a Finnish interior and architects who graduated from the Department of Furniture Design at the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki in 1937. After completing his studies, he worked as an assistant at Le Corbusier’s office in Paris before becoming artistic director and designer at Asko Oy, then one of Finland’s largest furniture manufacturers. With the mind of an explorer and the soul of a craftsman he became noted for always looking for new solutions to improve everyday objects. During his long career Tapiovaara created dozens of iconic objects loved by the public; it is often said that he captured the essence of Finnish identity.