Finnish Design Legend Yrjö Kukkapuro Has Died
The trailblazing designer was 91 years old.
Finnish designer, interior architect and professor Yrjö Kukkapuro has passed away at the age of 91, a statement by his studio has said.
Kukkapuro, whose career spanned seven decades, died on February 8, 2025 at his home in Kauniainen.
In their tribute, the studio emphasised the impact of his work, adding that he “never stopped coming up with new ideas”.
“Almost every Finn has sat on a chair he designed–at a metro station, in a bank, at school, or in a library,” the studio said. “Until the very end, he pondered a concept of his new chair, the plan of which was clear in his mind. His assistant didn’t have time to make drawings of the chair.”
Kukkapuro was born on April 6, 1933, in Vyborg Finland (now part of Russia), and growing up in post-war Finland, he developed an early interest in art and design.
He went on to study at the Institute of Industrial Arts (now known as Aalto University) in Helsinki, where he trained under influential Finnish designers. During his studies, he became deeply influenced by functionalism and ergonomics – principles that would go on to define his career.
In recent months, his work has seen a surge in popularity among a new audience, partly in thanks to Swedish brand Hem, which reissued Kukkapuro’s iconic Experiment chair.
“Yrjö has always been ahead of his time, and as a major trailblazer in furniture design, his signature style and thoughtful constructions are still at the cutting edge,” Hem founder Petrus Palmér said at the time.
Until her death in 2022, Kukkapuro worked in his studio with his wife, artist Irmeli Kukkapuro. According to his daughter, the studio and home, designed by Yrjö Kukkapuro and professor Eero Paloheimo, will be turned into a museum in 2026.
