KMDESIGN.SE

WHAT'S HIDDEN in Karl Malmvall's wallet? Alongside the bills and banknotes are two items, a tape measure and a list of pallet sizes from a large Swedish furniture maker. This discovery may seem trivial, but says quite a lot about Karl's view on design. He is very conscious of his role as an industrial designer; the objects he creates should not only meet aesthetic and functional demands, but should also lend themselves to being successfully manufactured... Karl has over a decade experience working with Ikea - eight years in Basel, three in Southeast Asia and one in Älmhult. He knows a thing or two about large-scale furniture production. How does one design, within prescribed financial limitations, a beautiful and comfortable chair? Where are the main costs hiding? Can they be reduced? How can one fit another stack of chairs in the shipping container? Anyone who deals with these questions on a day-to-day basis is wise to keep a tape measure in his wallet.

Primary location: Århus Denmark