THE GESELLIUS, LINDGREN, SAARINEN ARCHITECTURAL FIRM IN THE FORMATION OF THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL OF FINNISH DESIGN

The Finnish design school of the late 19th century was shaped by the doctrine of industrial aesthetics, which arose in the aftermath of reforms that swept across the arts and crafts industries.Design studios and firms, as well as independent designers with their design potential and the subsequent implementation of design and artistic ideas by independent production organisations, were the most important catalysts for these reforms.The first wave of Finnish designers was formed by architects, defining the aesthetic imperatives of design as a combination of purity of form and functionality, a lack of excessive decorativeness, a commitment to national traditions, and an openness to innovative design and experimentation.The work of the Gesellius, Lindgren, Saarinen architectural firm reflected the formation of a national model of Finnish design, from national romantic aspirations to the rational doctrines directed at 20th-century design.