KAJ FRANCK | 1911–1989 | FINLAND
Kaj Franck was one of the leading figures of 20th-century Finnish modern design. He studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in Helsinki (now Aalto University), where he was a student of Arttu Brummer. After graduating, he worked in a wide range of fields including furniture, interior design, and textiles.
In 1945, at the request of Kurt Ekholm, Franck joined Arabia as chief designer, where he was responsible for renewing tableware suited to everyday life in post-war Finland. In 1946 he received an award in a design competition organized by Karhula-Iittala, which led him to begin working as a glass designer for Iittala. In 1950 he moved to Nuutajärvi, a glassworks that had become part of the same Wärtsilä group as Arabia, and as director he began designing glassware based on the same design philosophy developed at Arabia.
Often referred to as the “conscience of Finnish design,” Franck based his design philosophy on the ideas of “design for the people” and the “social responsibility of the designer.” Through simple geometric forms and an expression based on color rather than ornament, he created numerous products with a timeless and universal character meant to be used for generations.
His KILTA tableware series for Arabia (now known as TEEMA) and the 5027 tumbler series designed for Nuutajärvi (now known as KARTIO) remain long-selling classics that are still produced today by Iittala. At the same time, while working at Nuutajärvi, Franck also produced many unique art glass pieces of a more craft-oriented and artistic nature, revealing another side of him as an artist.
From 1960 onward, Franck also taught at the School of Arts and Design in Helsinki (now Aalto University), where he had a significant influence on Finnish design education. His many awards include the Lunning Prize (1955), the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennale (1957), and the Compasso d’Oro Award (1957).
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