Paavo Tynell

Paavo Tynell (1890-1973) was an industrial designer dubbed as "the man who lit up Finland": he is regarded as the pioneer of Finnish lighting design. He attended the Central School of Applied Arts in Helsinki and later became one of the founders and chief designer of Taito Oy, the first luminaire manufacturer in Finland, subsequently creating modern luminaire and lamp solutions in Europe and worldwide. He collaborated for a long time with well-known architects and designers such as Alvar Aalto, producing devices for him for all his main projects. The union of an essential and decorative style with the meeting of sculptural elements and natural forms determine the style of Paavo Tynell's design. Among his most famous works there are several brass lamps that reflect the physiognomy of elements present in nature. During his career he received numerous prizes and awards such as at the Barcelona World Exhibition in 1929, at the Milan Triennale in 1933 and the main Good Design award in 1951. In 2018, the Danish design company GUBI relaunched a collection of lighting projects designed by the artist.