Whilst growing up on the West Coast of Norway, the designer Lars Beller Fjetland nurtured a lifelong fascination for the marriage of function with the finest of nature's materials. Despite only graduating from Bergen National Academy of the Arts earlier this year, 2012 has been something of a breakthough year for the young Norwegian designer, seeing him launch four new design series at Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan.
Lars Beller Fjetland seems impatient to broaden his horizons as a dedicated explorer of form with several diverese new projects underway. His current endeavours range from collaborations with graphic designers to more sculptural, artistic experiments with form and material. That said, his core philosophy remains constant; to design products that achieve a sense of both timelessness and longevity through an immediate, honest functionalism in form and aesthetic. The ultimate goal being to create sustainable yet sophisticated solutions for a smarter tomorrow.
Follow the link to see the latest products from Lars Beller Fjetland including our favorite, the Torii inspired minimalist coffee table, NUKI:
NUKI - Coffee Table
"Nuki is a robust coffee table positioned at the crossroads between Japanese tradition and Nordic appreciation for the forests' finest materials. The table is designed around the principles of Torii – the gate that marks the transition from the profane to the sacred in Japanese Shinto-temples – gathering inspiration from its wood- and stone-based construction. A solid layer of marble rests firmly on a strong, foundation of Nordic elm to complete the seamless marriage between Japanese and Nordic aesthetics."
Nuki reflects the core philosophy of designer Lars Beller; to design furniture that achieves a sense of both timelessness and longevity through an immediate, honest functionalism in form and aesthetic.
The philosophy is clearly evident in Bellers’ choice of references for Nuki, mixing a classic Nordic appreciation for natural materials with Japanese craft and tradition. Beller adds yet another nod to Nordic and Japanese crafting-traditions through his refusal of glue, bolts and screws. Instead, ’Nuki’ deploys a traditional interlocking-system that uses the weight of the marble plate to create a solid, steady table.
RE-TURNED - Wooden Birds
"The RE-TURNED concept elevates leftover wood from being merely an ignored piece of trash to becoming a desired piece of feel-good woodcraft. A 100% recycled item, perfect as a housewarming-gift to someone with a big heart for Mother Nature.
Perhaps they were once the part of a loving household as a supportive table-leg or an armrest. Perhaps they never made it from their roots in the woods and into a finished piece of furniture, but got cut off somewhere along the way. Either way, they’re given a new shot at life as a perfect starting point for a RE-TURNED bird."
DRIFTED - Stool & Barstool
"The inspiration for the DRIFTED series came from a visit to Øygarden, outside of Bergen on the West coast of Norway. While walking along the waters edge I became aware of all the varied materials and objects that had floated ashore. Driftwood bleached and scoured by the ocean, old cork that had been ground to unrecognizable shapes. These textures, shapes and material set the basis for the series. The name plays off the materials ability to drift with the current. The cork seat embodies the soft, warm and flexible, while the leg construction in ash stands as a representation for the robust, static and hardy. The fusion between these materials creates a functional, as well as visual harmony."
LINK - Modular Leather System
"Honoring the humble ideals of indigenous tradition and pre-industrial sobriety, the Beller leather-linking technique adds a welcomed touch of modern sophistication to waste reduction. Playing with the juxtaposition of luxury materials with a consumption-conscious mentality, LINK represents a rare throwback to a considerate, machine-independent mindset in a modern design context. Strong, versatile and ventilate, the technique can fit almost any purpose and surface, opening a vast range of possibilities, limited only by the imagination. Composed solely of random pieces of leather, the technique leaves each item visually unique – a desired reminder of the LINK story and philosophy. The intuitive linking-technique allows anyone to assemble the pre-cut leather scraps into a range of applicable products from pillows and beanbags to daybeds and lounge chairs."
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