Habitare Design Competition

The competition’s theme is “Bread and Water”. What are the essential pieces of furniture and objects that are needed in order to enjoy food and good company. The aim of the competition is to discover the ideal combination of items that form a fair unified ensemble.

Finalist Piia Jalkanen:

Leipää ja sahtia (‘Bread and farmhouse ale’)

“When designing the competition work, I was inspired by childhood memories, the time spent at my grandmother’s and the food culture inherited from my grandparents. The proportions of my work resemble small Japanese dining furniture. There are a lot of points of convergence in Finnish and Japanese design, eg. in the long traditions of woodworking and simple design language. The design language and material of the competition furniture also show my roots in the forests of Savo. Low pine furniture invites you to sit intimately and share food with friends.

When designing the tableware, I had my grandmother Irja’s very small kitchen in mind, all her dishes had to be functional and fit together aesthetically. With the same principle, I designed the stackable porcelain dishes for the competition, which work together aesthetically. Thanks to the simple design language, the set of dishes also matches with other possible kitchen items. When I close my eyes, I can see my late grandfather Erkko in front of me, handing out a pitcher of home-brewed beer to a cheerful party group and cold-smoked salmon from a wooden container, on rye bread, is served to the guests.”