The Red Thread: Nordic Design

by Oak – The Nordic Journal

An elegant exploration of the hugely influential simplicity, beauty, and functionality of Nordic design - timeless, yet on trend From literature to food, lifestyle to fashion, cinema to architecture, Nordic influence is evident throughout contemporary culture. The Red Nordic Design celebrates this deep-rooted aesthetic, showcasing the diversity of design from Scandinavia and Finland via more than 200 objects - from everyday items to exquisitely produced decorative glassware, and from traditional handmade textiles to mass-produced products found in homes across the globe. The title is taken from a metaphor, common in the Nordic countries, of a shared and highlighted characteristic (like a long connecting thread in woven material), that runs through and connects themes, ideas, stories, and, in this case, design.

Genres: Design

316 pages, Hardcover

Published May 22, 2017

Reviews

[Ștefania Ioana Chiorean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red stands out in the Scandinavian region - with a pale, plaid natural landscape - that is how the book starts. A book uniting 4 countries with different histories, languages and cultures.

"In the Nordic region, these designs are part of daily life. The 'red thread' these diverse, enduring objects share is that they are used democratically, they are designed to perform a function and are built to last. They also have the capacity to transcend generations, style and fashion. This approach to design shapes entire Nordic cities: how the population. builds and furnishes its homes and the way they interact with one another. It is both a philosophy for living and a way of life like no other region's on earth."

This merging of old and new, handicrafts and industrial design, function and beauty, forms the most characterized facet of a Nordic home: the elusive cosiness-known as hygge in Denmark, mys in Sweden, kose in Norway and lämpöä in Finland. Cosiness is brought to life in the fabric of any home there.

Aino alto glass ware,
three legs stool - finland
poul kjaelholm chair
painted wooden dala horses - Sweden
sheepskin rugs Norwegian
myriad armchairs Denmark
lilla aland chair
table 915 alvar aalto
alvar aalto armchair 41 & 42
vipp pedal bin
arne jacobsen chair series 7
pia wallen slippers
fiskars scissors
artek stool 60
reindeer hide rug
bruno mathsson eva lounge chair
kaare klint safari chair
arne jacobsen swan chair
finn juhl pelican chair
hans wegner peacock chair
kraka vase sven palmqvist
tortus Copenhagen
arabia pottery
oiva toikka glass birds
josef frank fabric
marie gudme leth
hans wegner ox chair
poul volther corona chair
grete jalk origami chair
can opener raadvad / jens quistgaard
gense cutlery
Bjørklund Cheese Slicers
bang & olufsen and jacob jensen
arne jacobsen - school in gentofte
kay bojesen monkey / bird
nanna ditzel ND08 children chair
peter opsvik tripp trapp
bruno mathsson & piet hein
dala house carving
yule straw goat
wooden viking figurine

[Brian Kovesci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t buy the through line on Nordic design being this particular flavor of design. In reality they were subtle (for the most part) in expression and constrained by manufacturing processes (I expect)… the same could be said for most histories and locations. They’re not anywhere close to unique in these parameters. Where they have power is their willingness to accept a “good enough” approach, and a [general] preference for simplicity. They also had a rather refined sense of form when they did actually form something.

[Maxime Noisette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un très beau livre bien "ficelé" qui remplit son objectif de départ et démontre adéquatement l'influence de l'esthétisme nordique dans notre quotidien. C'est aussi un hommage réussi au durable et au naturel.
J'ai bien aimé les thématiques choisies pour les trois chapitres, mais j'aurais également apprécié plus de comparaisons chronologiques pour voir l'évolution d'un objet à l'autre. Les textes en début de chapitres sont pertinents et vulgarisent la variété satisfaisante d'objets représentés.
Pour un catalogue grand public qui laisse beaucoup de place aux photographies, c'est un très bon recueil pour s'initier au design industriel qui "facilite et embellit la vie", comme l'a écrit Carolyne Parent dans Le Devoir.