Sami Kallio

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Born in Finland and raised in Sweden, award

winning designer Sammi Kallio spent his early

years creating objects, “It was a kind of game

for me to make plans and drawings of things in

my head, and it has continued to this day.”

Honing his skills first as a carpenter instilled in

Sami a lifelong ambition to merge time-honoured

materials and techniques with modern methods.

“During that period I had to build according to

other people’s designs. While it was a good

source of learning, embedded with generations

of experience, I couldn’t help but think, ‘Why have

they not thought about this?’ and ‘Why don’t we

do it like that?’ So it felt natural that the next step

for me was to become a designer.”

Can you tell us a little about your design

studio and what an average day there

looks like?

“I’ve had several studios over the years upgrading

gradually but have been located just outside

Gothenburg since 2013.

At any point I usually have 4 or 5 projects on the

go, apart from the computer modelling

and rendering,I do a lot of hands-on work.This

approach allows me to challenge everyday

thinking and push my materials further.

Like the wood I use, my discoveries take

root, grow, and then flourish, ensuring I create

contemporary furniture that is still built

traditionally.”

What discoveries did you make during

you latest project for Northern?

“Over the last fifteen years Northern have

created an impressive lighting legacy and I’ve

been humbled and delighted to complement it

Northern

Northern