KIKI BENCH
KIKI BENCH
The Kiki Bench has a frame made of distinctive oval steel tubing. The seat upholstery offers clean, smooth-edged contours that provide comfort and support.
Compact in size and, like a mannequin, appealing in any colour or fabric, the bench’s overall effect is one of memorable simplicity. Also part of the collection are the Kiki Lounge Chair, Sofa, and Low Table.
Announcing a departure from designer Ilmari Tapiovaara’s earlier work, Kiki employs a clean-cut design idiom.
Thanks to their modular nature, the pieces within the Kiki collection can be teamed in any number of configurations, while their compact size means they fit naturally into smaller spaces.
DESIGNER
ILMARI TAPIOVAARA
Capturing the essence of Finnish identity
Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914-1999) was one of the greatest interior architects and designers of his era. It is often said that he captured the essence of Finnish identity, creating dozens of iconic objects that remain popular to this day.
Tapiovaara 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.
Throughout his long career, Tapiovaara refused to stay within the bounds of traditional furniture design. With interests as wide-ranging as his talents, he created everything from wooden sculptures to film posters and graphics, from sauna stoves to cutlery – even a portable grill. With the mind of an explorer and the soul of a craftsman, he was always looking for new solutions to improve everyday objects.
As perseverant as he was inquisitive, Tapiovaara was committed to a process of improvement through iteration. Sometimes, he would come back to the same object year after year – the universal chair, for example – on a quest to discover its most perfect form. This made sense for someone who saw modernity not just as an approach to design but as a mission for democratic equality.
In that spirit, he joined the United Nations as a design ambassador in 1958 and spent two decades working with the organization on development projects around the world. Always interested in the greater issue of design’s role in society, Tapiovaara remained an influential public figure and spokesperson for his profession for many decades.
information
BRAND
Artek
YEAR
1935
SEAT
Fabric upholstery with PU foam and polyester padding, Leather upholstery with PU foam and polyester padding
FABRIC
The Kiki Bench dressed in Aura 07 hunter green upholstery
DESIGNER
Alvar Aalto
FRAME
Steel
TECHNICAL DRAWING
VARIANTS
KIKI BENCH 1-SEATER
- Frame : -Steel -Black powder coating
- Seat : -Fabric Upholstery -Kvadrat hallingdal 65 / 130
KIKI BENCH 1-SEATER
- Frame : -Steel -Black Powder Coating
- Seat : -Leather Upholstery -Sörensen indian red
KIKI BENCH 2-SEATER
- Frame : -Steel -Black Powder Coating
- Seat : -Fabric upholstery -Kvadrat Hallingdal 65 / 407
KIKI BENCH 2-SEATER
Frame : -Steel -Black Powder Coating
Seat : -Leather Upholstery -Sörensen mocca
KIKI BENCH 3-SEATER
- Frame : -Steel -Black Powder Coating
- Seat : -Fabric upholstery, kvadrat hallingdal 65 / 173
KIKI BENCH 3-SEATER
- Frame : -Steel -Black Powder Coating
- Seat : -Leather Upholstery -Sörensen walnut
