Given that Monica Förster is the creator of some of the most internationally renowned objects in contemporary Swedish design, it’s taken far too long for lifeiscarbon® to mention her in their pages. Even more so because she is the designer of the legendary Cloud, one of our all-time favorite pieces of Scandinavian design.
Now based in Stockholm but having grown up close to the artic circle in the far north of Sweden, Monica Förster’s work is categorized by a strong sense of pure form mixed with a never-ending curiosity for new materials and technology. Often working in a cross-disciplinary way, Förster invents and renews typologies in industrial, furniture and object design. She was awarded Designer of the Year, Sweden, in 2007 and 2006, Excellent Swedish Design, at Design Plus in Germany, and the FutureDesignDays Award 2002.
Monica Förster’s design studio works with an impressive list of
clients across the world, including Poltrona Frau, Tacchini, Modus, E&Y
Japan, Offecct and Swedese. Take a look below at a selection of
our design favorites from Monica Förster:
Cloud: Developed by Snowcrash and produced by Offecct
Traveling
on planes, Monica often wondered how it would feel to be inside one of the
clouds outside the window and this is how she got the idea for the Cloud
portable inflatable room. In particular, the designer began to research the
Cumulus cloud, which is the happy weather cloud. She discovered that in the
morning moisture rises up in the sky and form cumulus clouds – towards the
evening they dissolve and disappear and that was exactly how she would like her
new room to work. When coming to the office in the morning, people inflate the
room and when they go home for the evening the room is deflated and it simply
disappears.
Mix: Produced by Skruf as a Limited edition
A curious symbiosis of crystal and plastic. One material is seen as “poor” the other is “rich” - together they form an interesting mix of bowl and vase, enhancing the qualities of the materials.
Breeze: Produced by Swedese
A slow
summer day. The sun is shining and there is a smooth breeze that slowly moves
the grass. The lunch is already set on the table and then the breeze lifts the
tablecloth and creates a wave of fabric.
Moon Cactus: Produced by E & Y Japan
Conceptual Flooring inspired by early spring grass. Grass-green circular wool carpet, cut in different heights. Developed together with Nina Jobs.
Glide: Produced by Tacchini
Inspired
by melting snow in movement and transition.
Sun, Cake, Dot: Produced by Nola Industrier
When I was asked by Agneta Stake to make furniture that would work both indoors and outdoors, Monica thought about the fact that it rains a lot in the summer in Sweden and everybody just longs for the sun. So, she made tables looking like the sun for everyone to have their own, and added the lasercut holes to allow the rain to pass through.
Load: One off project
An opal
cordless portable lamp with round soft shapes that can used anywhere. Load is
made of rotation moulded polyeten that feels soft to the touch. Thanks to the
combination of materials and distinctive shape, Load is almost totally shock
proof. The rechargeable battery gives 5 hours light.
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