Antti Aare Nurmesniemi (1927 – 2003) was a Finnish interior and industrial designer.
Education
He studied interior design at the Taideteollinen oppilaitos (Aalto School of Arts and Design), Helsinki, to 1950.
Biography
Between 1949-50, he was a furniture designer at the Stockmann design office, Helsinki; 1951—56, he was furniture and interior designer in the Viljo Revell architecture office, Helsinki; and 1954—55, he was active in the office of the Giovanni Romano architecture office in Milan. He designed interiors for hotels, restaurants, and banks. Returning to Finland in 1956, he set up his design studio. He produced popular designs for furniture (sometimes with his wife Vuokko Eskolin) for various firms and his firm; lighting: glassware; wallpaper; textiles; transportation with Borje Rajalin; and metalwork, including the 1958 Finel coffee pot in two sizes for Wartsila (a standard in Finnish homes).
Interior Design
His numerous interior designs included public and corporate offices, restaurants, hotels, and banks. He designed a widely published 1953 sauna stool for the Palace Hotel in Helsinki. He designed the 1974 railway carriages for the President of Finland and the Council of State. His clients included Artek (furniture and lighting) 1957—60, Merivaara (furniture) 1963—66, Vecta Mobel (furniture) in 1978, and Cassina (furniture) in 1985. He was active in restoration projects, lectured worldwide, and designed many exhibitions. His work combined the bareness of Modernism with the traditions of Finnish design. He was president of Ornamo, an association of Finnish designers; from 1982, he was a member of the European Council of Science, Art and Culture.
Recognition
He won the 1959 Lunning Prize and grand prizes at 1957 (XII) and 1964 (XIII) (sauna stool); Triennali di Milano and a grand prize at its 1960 (XII) session. Other awards included the first prize at the 1955 Finnish Society of Crafts and Design Competition for the 80th-anniversary exhibition, 1975 Finnish State Design Award, 1981 Medal of the UK Society of Industrial Artists and Designers, 1986 Honorary Royal Designer for Industry, and 1991 Japan Design Foundation Award. His work was included in the 1954—57 USA ‘Design in Scandinavia’ travelling exhibition, 1956— 57 West German travelling ‘Finnish Exhibition’, 1961 ‘Finlandia’ exhibition in Zurich, Amsterdam, and London. His work was the subject of the 1992 exhibition in Helsinki.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
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