Tatu Laakso

Tatu Laakso was taught to use an axe by his grandfather, a master builder, almost before learning to walk. His chair Olivia was born during his master studies at the Aalto University of Art, Design and Architecture which he frequented after graduating from Lahti Institute of Design. The chair gained immediate approval and Tatu Laakso was honored with the third prize in the Pure Talents Contest 2021 at IMM Cologne. Olivia is a good example of Tatu Laakso’s design philosophy to work renewably in wood exploring lightness, sturdiness, and ergonomic comfort. ’Olivia is well tailored like a nice dress,’ says Tatu Laakso, ‘timeless and comfortable to sit on. It doesn’t shout for attention, but grow on you the longer you look at it.’ He draws his initial sketches by hand, passes them on to the computer, but mostly relies on mock-up prototypes that expose the design more fully than models produced by software. ’A dream project would be to design eyewear: they are really subtle; every tiny detail matters and they are truly intimate since you wear them right on your face.’