Scenarios

New Finnish Design SCENARIOS—A Story about what Happened in the Future was held in the Meatpacking District on May 12-17, 2011, during the 24th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York. SCENARIOS offered an inspirational look at the designers, design studios, manufacturers, and products that shape the landscape of modern Finnish design while simultaneously exposing the country's functional and beautiful products to a wider audience.

SCENARIOS included an exhibition, a student workshop, a cafeteria serving Nordic delicacies by FIKA espresso bar, a pop-up store selling Finnish design items, a lounge area that featured lectures and other cultural programming, and export training organized well before the event in March in Helsinki, Finland.

The multilayered SCENARIOS event presented items and concepts by a selected group of Finnish design companies, individual designers and design studios. In addition to the furniture, lighting fixtures and other interior design objects were presented in the show. Illustrated stories of the early years of the participating companies allowed visitors to familiarize themselves with the ideas, inspirations, and processes traditionally found at the heart of Finnish design. The presentations were extended to also cover the future visions through text as well as through ideas and sketches born during the event.

All the participating design companies were designer-driven and had impressive material knowledge. The exhibition section included the latest products from the following designers and design studios: Mari Isopahkala, Harri Koskinen for Genelec, Hannu Kähönen and Annele Valkama for Creadesign, Samuli Naamanka for Plastex and Piiroinen, Pentagon Design, Heikki Ruoho for Showroom Finland, Ilkka Suppanen for Tikau, and Tunto Design.

The product selection focused on the current trends in contemporary Finnish design: sustainability, ethical thinking, mobility, technological and material innovations, multisensory reception, and a strong DIY culture combined with an appreciation for handicrafts and personalization.

New Finnish Design SCENARIOS—A Story about what Happened in the Future was curated by Sari Anttonen and produced by the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York and the Consulate General of Finland in New York with the support of Design Forum Finland. SCENARIOS was an official satellite event of the international World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 project.

The project was supported by Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland, Ministry of Employment and the Economy of Finland, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, National Council for Design, Visit Finland, and Graphic Concrete, with additional support for video production from the Alfred Kordelin Foundation.