Artek Aalto Stool 60, Orange Linoleum – Birch

Artek’s Stool 60, also called the Aalto stool after its designer Alvar Aalto, is one of the most beloved icons of Finnish furniture design. To celebrate Finnish Design Shop’s 18th birthday, Artek has clad the three-legged classic in a bold orange hue that adds a dose of contrast to the minimalist design. The seat material is Forbo’s high-quality linoleum in the shade 4186 ‘orange blast’, characterised by a matt look and a warm feel.

First introduced in 1933, the Aalto stool caused quite a sensation in the design world of its time due to its revolutionary L-leg structure. To bend the leg of Aalto’s stool, a piece of straight, solid birch is sawn open at the end in the direction of the fibres, forming the shape of a fan, with thin pieces of plywood then glued in the grooves. This structure makes it possible to bend the wood by heating or steaming at the desired angle and when dry, it will have a very strong structure that can be easily attached to the seat.