Artek: When Art Meets Technology

Artek is a Finnish design company, founded in Helsinki in 1935 by four young idealists and visionaries: Aino and Alvar Aalto, Maire Gullichsen, and Nils-Gustav Hahl. From the very beginning, their aim was to “promote modern living through furniture and by furthering a modern culture of living through exhibitions and other educational means.”

This ambitious vision is well reflected in the name “Artek”, which is a fusion of the words “art” and “technology,” a concept promoted as early as the 1920s by Walter Gropius, one of the leading figures of modernism and author of the famous motto “Art and Technology – A New Unity.” The idea was to celebrate science and industrial production applied to art, particularly within the fields of architecture and design.

This was the inspiration that guided Artek’s founders at the company’s inception and continues to shape its products. A modern spirit that remains alive today, continuously reinterpreted in perfect harmony with the times, producing items that never go out of style.

Artek Design Products

The fusion of art and technology, with a vision rooted in ecology—where craftsmanship meets industrial production standards—is the key element behind Artek’s creations.

Throughout its history, the Finnish company has produced iconic design pieces that have made their mark internationally. These include chairs, rocking chairs, tea trolleys, and simple tables. The design language—consistent across all Artek products—is soft, flowing, light, curved, and strikingly modern. Sharp edges? They exist, of course, but they remain subtle, almost imperceptible. Invisible.

Alongside furniture, the company also creates accessories and lighting solutions. The list of designers includes names that have shaped international design history. In addition to the founders, we find Tapio Wirkkala, Jørn Utzon, Eero Aarnio; and among contemporary designers, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, Konstantin Grcic, and Hella Jongerius.

Artek has successfully maintained the vision of its founders throughout its more than 85-year history, establishing itself as a symbol of clarity, simplicity, and functionality.

An Ethical, Sustainable, and Long-lasting Production

Artek’s design solutions have always embraced a strong focus on ethical production using sustainable materials, designed to stand the test of time. This quality has been elevated to its highest aesthetic expression.

Since its beginnings, most Artek products have been manufactured at the original a-factory, located in Turku, a city on Finland’s southwest coast along the Aura River, where Aalto design elements have been produced since the 1920s. The factory operates on a semi-industrial scale and specializes in advanced woodworking techniques, including the bending of solid birch. Artek products are primarily made from locally sourced wood, particularly birch, which is cultivated, processed, and harvested entirely in Finland. Pine from Finnish forests is also used.

As a result, each piece of furniture is unique, shaped by the hand that crafted it and the wood from which it was made. For every Artek item, the company provides full transparency regarding the origin of its materials and the manufacturing techniques used—including the few items produced abroad. These are design pieces built to last—designed with a lifespan of 50 to 80 years.