Architect Toni Kauppila (DipArch, The Bartlett, UK) runs his research-based architectural practice ND and teaches Spatial Design at Aalto University School of Art and Design, Helsinki. Kauppila’s main interest is to understand space as a multidimensional and dynamic condition. He has been developing the concept of collective intelligence in design, which he has taught since 1999 including collaborations with Alvar Aalto Academy and several national and international universities. Kauppila’s approach is to closely connect research, teaching, artwork and practice in an ongoing laboratory for developing design techniques. He places the social dimension of the space especially in focus, and he collaborates with theatre and dance professionals in the search for new methods. His design pieces, such as his Tatit furniture, continue this will to operate with collective encountering. Kauppila’s architectural work has also gained recognition, his entry in an international competition for the urban development of Tallinn, Estonia, winning first prize. Tatit stools were awarded both as the Best of the Show at 100% Tokyo in 2009 and as Wallpaper Magazine’s Best Domestic Design in 2010. His more recent clients include Marimekko, for whom he designed their new retail concept.
TATIT
The design of Tatit is inspired by the respective bathing cultures of Finland and Japan. These provide spiritual moments, but at the same time extremely bodily experiences. The Tatit stools wish to continue this dynamic relationship, where one needs to be engaged bodily with the design. The design is not merely an object, but an instrument to inhabit a space. Tatit is made of Finnish laminated pine developed by the forestry company Stora Enso Wood Products, employing both traditional and contemporary wood craftsmanship and technologies. The shape of the stools activates an ergonomic sitting position while the structural solutions make Tatit furniture lightweight and durable to be used in a wide range of spaces and occasions. Katharina Schmidt has assisted in the project.
