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The Stockholm Design Week is the largest design event in Sweden and one of the most renowned design fairs in the world. It is a week-long celebration of Scandinavian design, featuring exhibitions, talks, workshops, and events taking place all over the Nordic city. The Stockholm Design Week provides an immersive experience for guests looking to learn about Scandinavian design and beyond.
The Stockholm Furniture Fair
The centrepiece of the Stockholm Design Week is the Stockholm Furniture Fair, which is held at Stockholmsmässan, a conference centre in Sweden. The Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024, held from February 6th to 10th, is an interactive exhibit featuring Scandinavian furniture brands and designers. This year's fair comprises approximately 200 exhibitors from 20 countries, showcasing the latest trends in furniture, lighting, and textiles. The Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024 successfully reiterated its position as a leading design event, exhibiting the finest of Scandinavian design while promoting innovation and environmental sustainability. It paid homage to creativity, workmanship, and the ever-evolving landscape of Nordic design.
Throughout the fair, guests were treated to displays of one-of-a-kind artistry and distinctive material explorations. Several exhibits, like the Reading Room installation by the Guest of Honour 2024—Formafantasma, showcased a dedication to sustainable design and set the tone for the fair. “To work as a designer today goes beyond thinking about the product. It is of course important, but it’s just as crucial to rethink the way we produce things”, says Andrea Trimarchi who founded the studio in 2009 together with Simone Farresin. “Formafantasma started as an office focusing on material investigations, and then we deepened our research into the ecological consequences of design today.”
Additional highlights include the large-scale show—Farming Architects by Jordens Arkitekter. This display is a manifesto for future living exhibiting the connection between sustainable architecture and regenerative agriculture. Several exhibitions also addressed topics such as forestry, local production, waste management and our changing perception of aesthetics. For instance, in the exhibition—The Museum of Masonite, the Swedish studio Folkform celebrates local artists at a time when the local industry is under threat.
In addition, the well-loved platform Älvsjö Gård, featuring small-scale designers and artists, exhibited inside Hall A at the fair. Among these exhibitors are the German designer Carsten in der Elst, as well as Gustav Winsth, Alexander Lervik, and Kajsa Melchior from Sweden. Furthermore, for the first time, the fair introduces New Ventures, a dedicated arena for young, progressive design brands and first-time exhibitors. This initiative provides a valuable springboard for first-time exhibitors such as Niko June, NM3, Gustaf Westman Objects, Swedish Girls, and more.
Stockholm Furniture Fair 2024: Talks
Beyond the exhibits, the Stockholm Furniture Fair offered a comprehensive programme of talks and sessions in collaboration with design publications such as Disegno Journal and Pin-Up Magazine. These workshops offered valuable insights from industry leaders and encouraged intriguing discussions about the future of design. Leading designers, architects, researchers, and industry leaders shared their learning and engaged in thought-provoking workshops.
Joseph Grima, an architect, writer, and curator, led a session on sustainability with, amongst others, Therese Hillman, CEO of Network of Design (NOD), and Hilda Rantanen, CEO of Materialisting, which is launching at the fair. PIN-UP Magazine led conversations on SOFTNESS and STRICTNESS in design with panellists such as Marcia Harvey Isaksson, NM3, and Fredrik Öst from Snask. They also moderated a talk with the designer and artist Bethan Laura Wood. Other discussions, led by 100-gruppen and TMF, focused on circular economy transitions and circular design. Moreover, there was also a series of short individual sessions with designers Fredrik Paulsen and Gustaf Westman and interior designer Lotta Agaton.
Scandinavian Design Awards 2024
The Scandinavian Design Awards 2024, held on February 6th, recognised the best of design across Scandinavia, awarding exceptional achievements in architecture, furniture, interior design, and sustainability. The awards are a partnership between the publishing company It Is Media and Stockholm Furniture Fair. A jury consisting of some of the biggest names within the architecture and design industries in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland selected the winners. Every member of the thoughtfully chosen jury has extensive experience within their profession. The jury is chaired by architectural historian and writer Martin Rörby.
Cecilie Manz, a renowned Danish designer known for her modern classics, was named the Designer of the Year, while rising star Daniel Rybakken impressed with his innovative Ypsilon bench for Vestre, winning the Furniture of the Year award. The awards recognised pioneering projects like Norwegian Press House (Pressens hus) by Atelier Oslo and KIMA Arkitektur, an excellent example of sustainable architecture, and Doughnut for Urban Development by Home.Earth and EFFEKT, highlighting innovative solutions for urban communities. By bringing together renowned designers, emerging talents, and industry experts, the Scandinavian Design Awards promoted collaboration and dialogue within the Nordic design scene. The event served as a platform to advance Scandinavian design, highlighting its commitment to innovation, functionality, and sustainability.
Stockholm Design Week 2024: The Greenhouse
The Greenhouse at Stockholm Design Week 2024 is a launchpad brimming with the future of design. Exhibiting emerging Swedish designers and international talents, it provides a peek into fresh ideas and inventive approaches. This year, the Greenhouse features over 30 young designers and 22 design schools from Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and beyond. Each designer is displaying distinctive furniture, lighting, textiles, and objects, pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo. “The Greenhouse exhibitors of 2024 are characterised by a clear curiosity and a strong presence of innovative elements in their submissions. Their designs demonstrate a high level of exploration with materials and a playful approach to the design process,” says Anya Sebton, designer and Chair of the Greenhouse jury.
Noteworthy designers include Rhode Island-based designer Taylor McKenzie-Veal who presents his lighting collection—Soft Lamps, which originated from an exploration of technique and medium, particularly sewing and rope. Another Greenhouse exhibitor working with textile craft is American-Colombian artist Laura Casañas Maya, who showcases The Passementerie Series, a collection consisting of a sofa, a table and a pair of lamps. Additional Greenhouse 2024 highlights include designers Laura Casañas Maya and Canadian-based Reggy St-Surin.
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