Finland native Harri Koskinen is widely appreciated as the most influential Finnish designer today. Continuing the proud Finnish design lineage, Koskinen's own design language is firmly rooted in the Finnish traditions of quality, economy and simplicity. Koskinen studied at the Lahti Institute of Design and the University of Art and Design in Helsinki.
Koskinen now runs his own design firm, Friends of Industry which he established in 1998. He is also the current Director of Design at littala, a Finnish glassworks company founded in 1881 specializing in design objects, table, glass and cookware. Harri Koskinen’s design is typified by practicality and strict aesthetic principles.
The Block Lamp is probably Koskinen’s most recognizable and popular design and for good reason. This bulb lamp encased in glass is as fresh, interesting and versatile as ever. Koskinen’s Block Lamp was so well received, so iconic that it has been a part of the Museum of Modern Art New York collection since 2000.
Good design requires a deep understanding of how we use objects, how they are conceptualized and even how they are manufactured. It is Harri Koskinen’s intuitive grasp of these many elements that has paved a wide road for his success as a designer.
