Artek Aalto experimental wood relief, birch

Artek’s Aalto experimental wood relief captures the essence of Finnish nature and design history. Originally showcased in 1933 at the Wood Only exhibition in London’s Fortnum & Mason, the birch relief makes a grand return to celebrate Finnish Design Shop’s 20th anniversary. To mark the big day, Artek has produced a limited edition of just 60 pieces, the first 20 of which will be available exclusively at Finnish Design Shop. For each anniversary relief sold, we donate €200 to the Alvar Aalto Foundation to support the conservation of the original flooring in Alvar Aalto’s studio drawing room.

The Aalto wood relief’s flowing shapes may look familiar, and with good reason: the ornamental part of the relief is derived from the cold-pressed Paimio seat shell. The form can be enjoyed from different angles as well, since the relief can be displayed either horizontally or vertically. Each numbered piece, handmade at Artek’s factory in Finland, arrives in a wooden case, ready to bring Nordic happiness into any home.