The Kasper Stromman Design Blog

Made in HKI 1700–2012

Helsinki City Museum currently runs an exhibition at Hakasalmen huvila which focuses on stuff designed in Helsinki over the past 300 years. Visiting Hakasalmen huvila is always fun – it’s like goin to a mini-mansion in the middle of town.

Despite, in the current exhibition the curators have done a sterling job in finding old furniture for our viewing pleasure. These are some old chairs and a bed from 1986.

Interestingly enough only three years later in 1989 furniture had evolved into looking completely different. But such is the pace of style. Fast.

We heard the super curators had apparently just finished building the exhibition when the World Design Capital Foundation called and demanded their logo was made bigger. This wish was granted.

The Made in HKI exhibition also displays some great innovations of it’s time. Have you ever wished coffee could be on tap? That was already thought of in the 1950s.

Some innovations like this enamel bucket did not really catch on however, since it was virtually impossible to carry water in. You know what it should be called? The ‘FAIL bucket’. Ha ha.

The exhibition also features some cool lettering. This is what opticians charts used to look like in the days when people wore monocles.  

But after 300 years of manufacturing, which object gets to represent the current height of design evolution at the exhibiton?

Why, the mighty CD tower. Of course.