Young Norwegian Design Collective

Apparently lifeiscarbon® are not the only people to have discovered the design collective Wyller, Froystad & Klock from Norway since despite having not yet concluded their studies at the National Academy for Arts, WFK’s work has been receiving considerable media attention and was even exhibited at this year’s Salone Satellite in Milan. We’ve totally fallen for their designs, from their use of traditional Spelsau wool to their various innovative yet retro-inspired furniture designs. Maybe it’s just us, but somehow their designs put us in mind of the luxurious lair of SPECTRE’s evil leader, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. A look that we’ve been trying to recreate for many years.

WFK consists of a group of design students based in Oslo, Norway who just happened to meet in 2004 at the start of their studies at the National Academy for Arts. Øyvind Wyller, Marte Frøystad and Runa Klock genuinely seem to share a passion for creativity and a desire to create sustainable yet beautiful products. Take a look below to read more about the individual designers and to see a selection of WFK’s work:

Øyvind Wyller, originally from Oslo, completed a bachelor in interior and furniture design at the National Academy of the Arts, Norway. Despite a belief that visual value is as significant as any other function a product may have, Øyvind’s design philosophy does not allow for useless shapes and his main goal is to discover design solutions that make art and novelties redundant.

His work has been exhibited at the Stockholm Furniture Fair (2006 and 07), Husflidens Jubileumsutstilling in Oslo (2006) and at Inside Norway (2007). Mar, designed by Øyvind, is produced by KEBE of Denmark

Marte Frøystad, originally from the west coast of Norway but now living in Oslo, has a bachelor in interior architecture and furniture design from the National Academy of the Arts in Oslo, Norway. Marte has a fascination for tactile surfaces and small details. Her work also consists of combining traditional craft knowledge with new techniques and materials.

Her work has been exhibited at the Stockholm Furniture Fair (2006 and 07), Husflidens Jubileumsutstilling in Oslo (2006) and Young talents in Oslo (2008). Marte won the Universal Design of Public Meeting Point competition (2008) and an IMD scholarship (2008). Tosom, designed by Marte, is produced by Engell Møbler of Denmark.

Runa Klock is currently a student at Oslo National academy of the arts, and will finish her MA in design in 2009. Her interest in “green design” led her to the Vitra Workshop “Nothing is lost” to work with the Campana brothers in 2007. Her designs place an emphasis on simple though innovative materials and processes. Her lifecycle-thinking results in products that are functional, environmentally friendly and beautiful.

Her work has been exhibited at Stockholm Furniture fair (2006 and 07), Salone Satellite (Milan, 2006), Designmai youngsters (Berlin, 2006), Husflidens Jubileumsutstilling in Oslo (2006), Designers Saturday in Oslo (2005 and 07), Inside Norway www.insidenorway.no (2007) and Design fra Nord (Lillestrom, 2008). Runa won the Designers Saturday Student Award in 2007 and an IMD Scholarship in 2008. Her work has been published in Addict Creative Lab in Belgium, 2007 and Forms with a Smile, Stichting Kunstboek Belgium, 2008. Runa’s innovative hanger system, Offside, is produced by LADP of Sweden.

Polly designed by Froystad & Klock (see photo at top of article)
Polly is a rug that uses woven pure new wool from the ancient Norwegian sheep breed Spelsau, on a base of unbleached double hemp.

Bermuda designed by Runa Klock.
The design of the Bermuda chair, constructed from a comfortable upholstered seatpad on a tubular steel frame, gives it a comfortable “swing” when in use. Bermuda is also available as a barstool.

Trippel designed by Wyller, Froystad & Klock
Trippel is a table consisting of 3 differently sized bowl-shaped tabletops on a base of tubular aluminium. Finished in colourfast anodized aluminium to improve impact and corrosion resistance.

Kimono designed by Marte Frøystad
The Kimono chair is a new multipurpose chair named after the swinging sleeves on a Japanese kimono. Consisting of a fabric sleeve over a tubular steel frame on a lightweight swivelling socket.

Cooper designed by Øyvind Wyller
The Cooper chair invites a more active way of using one's arms whilst seated. The design requires that users half sit or half hang. The distinctive shape, with its open backrest, creates a sculptural eye-catcher and perhaps represents the evolution of the armchair.

Eclipse designed by Øyvind Wyller
Eclipse is a wall lamp for indoor and outdoor use made in colourfast anodized aluminium. The shade is designed to simultaneously conceal the light source whilst reflecting the maximum amount of light source.

WFK

Comments

[genevieve]

I just found a pair of Sit chairs and love them...does anyone know where I can buy more? There doesn't seem to be an option for it on their website...

Thanks!