Gustaf Kjellin – författare

This book tells the untold story of Snowcrash (1997-2003), an international design company founded by Finns and operated by Swedes. Equipped with an optimistic view of the future, they succeeded in designing a collection that connected art with technology, and the real with the virtual world.

The story takes the reader from a Finland in deep recession in 1993, to Sweden in 2003 recovering from a IT-boom hangover. DIY spirit, bold visions and progressiv design management is played out and told by the international group of creatives involved painting a picture of a unique design event that offers an alternative view on "Scandinavian Design".

The book includes never before seen material from private archives, showing the design process and the legendary Snowcrash exhibition in Milan, 1997 as well as new photos taken off iconic objects in the groundbreaking collection that was made.

Through an elaborate arrangement of mirrors, the coffee table Vertigo creates an illusion of infinite depth contained within architectural refinement. The launch of Vertigo and a new book, marks 25 years of inspired collaboration between Offecct and Claesson Koivisto Rune.  The award-winning coffee table Vertigo is an interactive piece of furniture with strong sculptural qualities that offers contemplation in any environment. Vertigo was first introduced in 2005 in one size and consists of a metal frame supporting two glass tabletops; the top shelf is made of one-way mirror glass while the bottom shelf is a mirror glass. The one-way mirror glass top shelf allows the viewer to see through it to the mirror glass below while simultaneously experiencing the two mirror glass shelves reflecting in each other. This creates the appearance of a bottomless depth when seen from above, and when placing objects on the bottom shelf, the reflections create an infinite number of framings. To mark 25 years of collaboration between Claesson Koivisto Rune and Offecct, Vertigo returns in three new sizes and shapes with three striking colours. 

This table illustrates a long lived misconception about us and our work. Those who call us minimalists have not really understood that it is not about minimalism; for us it has always been about adding something.   Claesson Koivisto Rune 

Claesson Koivisto Rune began their collaboration with Offecct in 1999 and have over the years completed over 50 projects together many of which have been awarded for their strong contribution to the improvement of our public and private meeting environments. From acoustic panels and side tables to easy chairs and sofa systems, they have all now, for the first time, been collected in a book in which Claesson Koivisto Rune describe their journey with Offecct, while giving their thoughts on their work in relation to art, architecture and design.

This is the sixth book in a series published by Offecct, initiated to give clients a deeper understanding of their collaborations and the ideas behind the designs. Ultimately, it serves as a document of design history for anyone interested in knowing more about the craft of our time. This book series have been developed and produced by the celebrated Swedish graphic design studio Henrik Nygren Design. Previous books published in this series: Matti Klenell (2021), Luca Nichetto (2021), Lucy Kurrein (2021), Sketches, Ideas and News (2022), Pauline Deltour (2022).