Perttu Mentula (b.1936) Finnish Architect & Interior Designers

Advertisements
Perttu Mentula featured image
Perttu Mentula featured image

Perttu Mentula (b.1936) was a Finnish architect and interior, exhibition, product, graphic, and furniture designer.

Career Summary

Between 1958-60, studied Taideteollinen Korkeakoulu, Helsinki. 1958-60, he was active as an interior and product designer in the offices of Antti Nurmesniemi and Timo Sarpaneva and of Toivo Korkonen and Reino Lamminsoila, all Helsinki; 1960-77, was active in his design studio; 1964-77, was a designer for Wartsila Shipyards, Helsinki; from 1977, was director of Studio Perttu Mentula Oy. 

In 1970 and 1978-80, he was a board member of Ornamo (Federation of Industrial Arts), Helsinki; from 1974, a member of the Fine Art Commission, Helsinki Festival; in 1978-80, chair of SIO (Interior Architects Society), Helsinki; 1978, member, Representational Arts Commission; 1978, member, Idea Group; 1981- 83, vice-president, International Federation of Interior Designers; from 1981, executive committee and organizing committee, Design 81 Congress; 1981, coordinator, D’81 Creative Group; from 1982, design manager, Keriland Project, Kerimaki. Designs included 1971-74 Ringside hanging chairs, Rs 656 by Avitom, and a 1961 sauna stool.

Finnish Furniture Ad

Recognition

He received 1963 first and second prizes in Export Furniture Com­petition, Helsinki; silver medal, 1964 (XIII) Triennale di Milano; two awards, International Lighting Competition, Tokyo; first prize, Scandinavian Environment and Furniture Competition, Copenhagen; first prize, Community Development Competition, Kerimaki. Appointed honorary member, AIPI (Italian Interior Archi­tects Assoc.). His work was shown at 1966 ‘Total Environment,’ Finnish Design Center, Helsinki; 1975 ‘Uniform-Project,’ Milan; 1977 Wood and Textile,’ Savonlinna Opera Festival; 1980 ‘Finnish Design’, Finlandia Hall, Helsinki.

A selection of his work

Table and six chairs , ca. 1960–1969 by Perttu Mentula
Table and six chairs, ca. 1960–1969 by Perttu Mentula

Sources

Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL

Additional Reading

Wilcox, D. (1970). New design in wood. https://amzn.to/3G3xWV1

Aav, M., Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, D. C., McDuff, D., Museum, D., Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, D. C., Oyj, M., & Arnold, J. (2003). Marimekko: Fabrics, Fashion, Architecture. Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design, and Culture, New York, and the Design Museum, Finland. https://amzn.to/3D7NEfC

Morgan, A. L., & Naylor, C. (1984). Contemporary Designers. Gale Research Company. https://amzn.to/3160K0l

Ornamo, S. K. L. (1962). The Ornamo Book of Finnish Design. Ornamo r.y. https://amzn.to/3E7EQbb

Taideteollisuusyhdistys, S. (1993). Form Function Finland. Finnish Society of Crafts and Design. https://amzn.to/3xAShOr

More on Finnish Design

Finnish Design: A Concise History (hardcover)

Finnish Design has contributed significantly to the country’s economy and international identity. This beautifully conceived study examines the influence of Finnish modernism and its essential characteristics. The book extensively demonstrates how architecture works in the tension between art and business. Numerous photographs, posters, and illustrations depict every conceivable element of Finnish design’s rich diversity.

Keep reading

Alvar Aalto Houses – Paperback

Alvar Aalto (1898-1976), a Finnish architect and builder, designed nearly one hundred single-family houses over the course of his fifty-year career. Aalto’s work, which included furniture and glassware, had a distinct style that combined modernism and traditional vernacular architecture. Alvar Aalto Houses, now available in paperback, features twenty-six of Aalto’s groundbreaking residences from the 1920s…

Keep reading

1 Comment

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.