Viking Magazine - January 2022 - 18

as the head of design for Muuto from 2013 to 2015.
Thomas Bentzen Industrial Design (thomasbentzen.
THE DYNAMIC DUO
com) is small but mighty. And he never rushes the
design process. It's important for Bentzen to take
breaks from his work and come back to it later, so some
of his most recognizable designs may take two to three
years to create. For Bentzen's furniture, simplicity and
functionality are key. He's a methodical designer who
makes products that are both engaging and durable.
" Scandinavian design has always been about honesty
and functionality, comprised with poetry. I like it that
way, " Bentzen told Muuto. " I think Scandinavian
designers have succeeded in bringing their heritage
into a time where we no longer stand next to the
cabinetmaker, but are challenged and thrilled by new
materials and new ways to produce. "
Working together for more than 20 years, Torbjørn Anderssen
and Espen Voll helped put Norway on the global design map. At
their Oslo-based studio, Anderssen & Voll (anderssen-voll.com),
they create beautiful and functional products that last a lifetime.
Here, the award-winning designers give us a glimpse into their
working relationship, inspiration and future goals.
Q When did you start working as a duo, and what is it like to
work together?
A The Anderssen & Voll Design office formally started in 2009
but we've worked together since 2000. From 2000 to 2009,
we were both part of the design group Norway Says. We started
as five individual Norwegian designers fresh from art schools in
Bergen and Oslo. For three years, we travelled to major design
fairs throughout Europe exhibiting our own design prototypes.
In 2003, Norway Says became a 3-man strong company
building a portfolio with several Scandinavian clients. In 2009,
the company split up, but we decided to go on as Anderssen
& Voll. We have now been working together for more than 20
years. It's like wearing an old pair of shoes with a pebble in one of
them. We are comfortable
working together but rarely
agree on anything initially.
Process image
of Loft Chair
(below) by
Thomas Bentzen
Q What are your biggest
sources of inspiration?
A Anything can be
inspirational. We don't
really go out of our way or
do something particular
to get inspired. If we are
designing a new blanket for
Anderssen & Voll have been
named both Norwegian and
Scandinavian Designers of
the Year and have received
international awards for
their work in furniture,
lighting and accessories.
" As a designer,
I have always
had a profound
love for natural
materials and
craftsmanship. "
18
January 2022
instance-a texture on a wall, a part of a facade or a detailing on
the clothes of a girl passing by could inform the idea of the new
blanket. If we weren't in the process of designing a blanket, we
probably wouldn't recognize that particular texture or clothing
detail as important. We'd probably have no conscious memory of
it. We never wait for inspiration.
Q What are the most important hallmarks of great Nordic
design?
A Just like the Nordic countries represent a democratic system
and belief, we think our sense of design does the same.
Q What upcoming projects are you excited about?
A We are excited that our practice is now very workshop-based.
We build everything we design in the workshop as a part of the
process. We make full-scale models out of cardboard, textiles or
anything we find suitable. We do a lot of upholstery furniture,
like sofas, in full-scale and in cardboard. So, you can expect many
new sofas in the coming years.
sonsofnorway.com
PHOTOS COURTESY MUUTO, PHOTO (OPPOSITE, FAR LEFT) COURTESY RØROS TWEED
http://www.anderssen-voll.com http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - January 2022

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