Ola Giertz graduated from Carl Malmsten Furniture Studies in 2010 and soon afterwards set up his own studio in Helsingborg, Sweden. He might seem a minimalist in his approach, but he is all intent on playfulness and having nature as a big inspiration.
His clear-cut graphic furniture designs are often quite experimental and made by natural materials such as wood that lends itself to sustainable and innovative products with a straightforward simplicity. Ola Giertz divides his working schedule between his own studio and work as product manager at Smedbo, possibly the largest company for bathroom accessories in Scandinavia. He won a Red Dot Design Award in 2015 for his Frame easy chair, he even more impressively earned the NYC-Design Award for Mr T inte the category Stools.
How do you approach a design challenge?
I scale down and reduce to the bare essentials. Working with basic forms is my way to reach a broader public. And design has to make a difference: it has to be playful endowed with character.
Next project in line?
LIV is named after my daughter, and now my son Totte is asking for a furniture piece named after him. I think it will be a stool, possibly quite graphic once again.
