Photo: Rasmus Jurkatam
Collaboration Between EKA Product Design and Furniture Manufacturer Standard
The collaboration between the 2nd-year students of EKA’s industrial product design program and Standard resulted in successful designs. The objective was to offer concepts and furniture for office relaxation areas. As a result, three prototypes and four models were created, along with tablets describing the solutions.
Course instructor and designer Argo Tamm stated, “The most positive aspect of the project is the collaboration with Standard, one of Estonia’s oldest, if not the oldest, operating furniture company.” The visit to the showroom and factory provided context that was crucial for achieving good results. While all student solutions were exceptionally strong, Standard particularly highlighted Emili Eskel’s “Kiigu” and Erik Pirn’s “Maru.” Tamm added, “I hope the selected projects won’t just remain in the drawer, and that Standard incorporates them into their product portfolio.”
Standard’s director, Jonatan Karjus, said, “Product development and introducing Estonian furniture design to the world are key elements of Standard’s strategy to enrich work environments with beautiful, functional, and high-quality furniture. We are pleased to collaborate with EKA’s future top designers to create innovative and well-thought-out solutions. We will soon begin prototyping the first products to include them in Standard’s product range.”
At the end of the project, the success of the collaboration was acknowledged – students, the instructor, and the partner were all very satisfied with the results. There were a total of six students in the course, including two foreign students, Jon Tastad and Monika Jurikova. Before the project, during the fall semester of 2023, students gathered input through a user research course guided by Paula Koppel and Maria Vous. They investigated how to entice employees back to the work environment from the comfort of home offices during the pandemic. Both Emili Eskel’s swing sofa and Erik Pirn’s framed soft chair offer opportunities for relaxation during work breaks or for discussing work matters with colleagues in a more casual setting.
Students also gave presentations on their process and final solutions.
The joint product development between Standard and the Estonian Academy of Arts took place through EKA’s LAETUS program. “The LAETUS program helps entrepreneurs create practical and innovative solutions,” said Ruth-Helene Melioranski, Dean of the Faculty of Design at EKA. “IT companies, digital product developers, and the public sector are also welcome as partners in applied research for product development,” emphasized program manager Karin Kiigemägi.
Photos: Rasmus Jurkatam
