Kaari is a coat rack designed by Mikko Laakkonen for Martela.  It is a minimalistic arched piece of furniture for the office that can also be used in a more personal space (such as your home). The first concept was an elaborate New York City skyline-inspired piece called “Manhattan”. However, as the design evolved a more minimalist approach was taken, something which increased the complexity of the project.  Laakkonen states that “When you begin to strip down a product to a minimal level, the ability to make it unique and stand-out becomes more challenging”.  Then one evening he drew inspiration whilst watching a documentary about Eero Saarinen, the Finnish-American architect who designed the famous Gateway Arch in St. Louis.  At this point the arch theme had started to develop strongly which provided him with a solution to the biggest challenge of the design process –  naming the product – Kaari is the Finnish word for ‘arch’. The Kaari coat rack was designed so that it not only could be used individually but also work well in unison when several are placed next to one another. Materials and colour are also used to create a stand-out effect –  Kaari is comprised of metal components. The classic design of Kaari combined with its high quality will ensure a long lifetime for the product. Sustainability is a key part of Martela products. Kaari holds true to the ecologically friendly approach of Martela in that this product will stand the test of time.   Indeed, Kaari has also passed Laakkonen’s ultimate test for a successfully designed product.  That is, when you look at the final design you should think, “Yes, this is exactly how a coat rack should look.” And that’s exactly what you think when you look at Kaari. Designer:  Mikko Laakkonen