Harri Koskinen is one of the best-known Finnish designers in the world these days. Along the years, he has won several awards. Harri Koskinen's lecture will take place at 11 am on 9th October 2009 at MOME (Academy of Design and Applied Arts). The lecture promises to get and insight to one of the best-known Finnish designers’ work of these days. He has been working for companies like Artek, Finlandia Vodka, Iittala or a Marimekko, just to mention a few names. He has been honored with many national and international awards. Koskinen’s most well know design object, the block amp will also be available at the WAMP fair on the 11h of October. The blocklamp is an object by Design House Stockholm and the New York’s Museum of Modern Art, MoMA, also added the Block lamp to its collection. Another product that is well known worldwide is the VAKIO watch collection that Koskinen designed for Issey Miyake.

Harri Koskinen’s design is characterized by practicality and strict aesthetic criteria. He is always searching for innovative solutions for both the consumer and the producer. Usually, Koskinen relies on existing techniques and materials but tries to take them a step further. He wants to keep his designs simple – he brings out the best qualities of a product or a space and lets them speak for themselves.

Along the years, he has won several awards. The most significants of them are the Torsten and Wanja Söderberg Prize 2009, which is the largest design prize in the world. Koskinen received this Swedish award for his design work. The other important award is Compasso d’Oro Award, which he received in 2004 for the Muu chair designed for Montina. The Italian award is highly esteemed worldwide in the field of design. In 2007 he was awarded the Pro FInlandia medal by the President of Finland. In February 2009, the Fennia Prize Grand Prix, the award of the competition called Fennia Prize, went to Genelec for the 5040A subwoofer designed by Koskinen. Also Arabia and Kaipaus received the Fennia Prize honorary mentions for Koskinen’s designs. A five year artist’s grant of Finland starting in 2006 has been awarded to Koskinen. Other Koskinen’s prizes include the Interior Innovation Award, which he received at the Cologne fair in 2004 for the k chair designed for Woodnotes, and the Young Designer of the Year 2000 awarded by Design Forum Finland to Koskinen and Ilkka Suppanen. Koskinen’s works have been presented in numerous exhibitions all over the world. He had his first solo exhibition at the Miyake Design Studio Gallery in Tokyo in 2000 followed by exhibitions in Helsinki, Stockholm, Berlin and Gaggenau.

In spite of his international career and constant travelling, Koskinen has not forgotten his roots in the Finnish countryside. He was born in Karstula, a little municipality in Central Finland. He is well familiar with farm work, house building and other rural activities. Every now and then, he has to get back to Karstula and drive around its gravel roads. Although he is interested in different cultures and the colourful metropolitan lifestyle, he sometimes feels the urge to return to the peaceful countryside and bathe in a traditional smoke sauna.

Further information and images: www.harrikoskinen.com

Lecture by Harri Koskinen
Date: 11a.m. on 9th October 2009
Place: the MOME (Academy of Design and Applied Arts)
Address: 1120 Budapest, Zugligeti út 9-25.

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