Alvar Aalto Artek Furniture

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I read an interesting article in the October monthly supplement in the Helsingin 

Sanomat newspaper about the historical archives of the President of Finland, 

Urho Kekkonen. The photograph below is of the house occupying them. Urho 

Kaleva Kekkonen held the position of the President of Finland for a mighty 25 

years (1956-1982). In 1970 he initiated the establishment of his presidential 

archives, which came into fruition soon after that: 

The President of the Republic  of Finland,  Dr Urho Kekkonen (1900-1986) established in 1970 a 

private foundation to maintain the archives of his own personal documents. The idea was initiated 

while he had made an official visit  in the U.S.A and got acquainted with the archives of president 

Roosevelt in Washington D.C. At that time President Kekkonen thought he would retire in the 

beginning of the year 1974 when his third period as the president of Finland would end. After that 

he could fulfil his dreams of writing his memoirs. Moreover he planned that after having finished 

the work he could let the researchers use his archives. In the letter with which the archives were 

founded president Kekkonen said that the main aim for his archives is to promote the study of 

political history during his presidency.

The archives were realised, and they were housed in a building in Orimattila, a 

rural community in Finland:

Sylvi Kekkonen, Urho Kekkonen's wife, oversaw the interior design of the house,
utilising mostly Artek furniture products by Alvar Aalto - the best design available.

Sylvi and Urho Kekkonen with their grandson.

This is our 'presidential suite'.
Well, not quite, since I did rearrangethe room for the photo
to accomodate some of our Alvar Aalto (via Artek) pieces for effect...

On the subject of Artek, Helsingin Sanomat last week reported that the venerable 

design firm (which is still going strong) is opening a second hand store (called 

2nd Cycle) to sell pre-loved Artek furniture:

Artek to launch a new 2nd Cycle store in the heart of Helsinki

On 15 October 2011, Artek will celebrate its 76th anniversary by opening a new store in Helsinki, 

Artek 2nd Cycle. The Manifesto of Artek which sets out the firm’s philosophy, was written when the 

company was founded. Artek’s far-sighted founders created the foundation for an ideology in which 

sustainable development joins hands with enlightened consumerism. The original goals and values 

are still very much part of Artek today. The new concept store focuses on 2nd Cycle and vintage 

products.

The Manifest is a challenge for Artek, especially now when consumption is fast and feral. The 

original values of Artek – long-term durability and high quality combined with a clean form 

language – remain the company’s driving forces to this day. The idea behind the Artek 2nd Cycle 

store is not to recycle products, but to extend their lifecycle to create a new consumer connection. 

True to its status as an opinion setter, Artek continues to challenge old practices and truisms. The 

company has always stood firmly for social awareness, maintaining a certain idealism. Artek 2nd 

Cycle is a statement for sustainable development and enlightened consumerism. A utility article 

which over the course of its life becomes a collectible, is a rarity.

The product range and concept of Artek 2nd Cycle is in the hands of Juhani Lemmetti, 

Development Director at Artek. Lemmetti is himself a passionate collector and a vintage dealer. 

“The concept is fundamentally about lifestyles and philosophy. We aim to serve high-end collectors 

as well as consumers who have an interest in quality design. We are also happy to receive 

customers who just want to discuss vintage design and what to buy. One aspect of the concept is 

to promote knowledge about design classics. We tell our customers stories about the birth and 

history of the products. We are also happy to give ideas for interior decoration and for collecting 

classics,” Lemmetti says. In addition to selling, he also buys and swaps vintage design objects 

through his extensive network of contacts which includes foreign collectors, buyers as well as 

museums.

The concept of Artek 2nd Cycle is a solid statement for classic design. Designed by architect Niko 

Tiula, Artek 2nd Cycle store with its 600+ square metres is an internationally significant event and 

a unique business concept. The products on sale include items by such classic designers as Alvar 

Aalto, Ilmari Tapiovaara, Yrjö Kukkapuro, Arne Jakobsen, Charles and Ray Eames, not only 

furniture but also lamps, carpets, ceramics, tableware and fine art prints. The online store will be 

launched at the end of November.

Timeless design is not a matter of faith alone. Artek 2nd Cycle is proof of conviction. Whether you 

buy a new product or an old one, you will be building a future 2nd Cycle collection!

All of this brought to my mind the Alvar Aalto desktop calendar I purchased at 

the Museum of Modern Art, MoMA, New York City, in 1999.