Collection: Designer: Tapio Wirkkala

Tapio Wirkkala was one of the leading designers in Midcentury era. His signature glass series became icons of the Scandinavian style. Some, like Ultima Thule, are still in production today.

Like a true Finn, Wirkkala drew inspiration from nature and became a pioneer of Scandinavian organic design, embodying natural patterns and forms in his works. This design school was authentic to the Scandinavian countries.

In his work, Wirkkala used a special method: he managed to see and capture the abstract essence of a natural object in glass, metal, or wood. This method fused two of the most powerful currents in 20th-century Scandinavian design: organic design and minimalist geometric style.

Tapio Wirkkala worked for a long time at the flagship art glass factory Iittala in Finland and also for Germany's Rosenthal. He created glass items, utensils, lamps, and jewelry.

He was a multiple winner of the Milan Triennial, received the highest Finnish award for professionals in the arts and creative fields, the Pro Finlandia, and became an art academician.

Wirkkala's works are in the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA), the Design Museum in Finland, the Glass Museum, and many other museums and galleries around the world. A city park in Helsinki is named after him.