The keynote speakers of Habitare 2024
Habitare’s keynote speakers are creators of contemporary Nordic design. Swedish Note Design Studio, Swedish designer Fredrik Paulsen, Danish textile and colour designer Margrethe Odgaard, Danish designer Rikke Frost and Alex Mustonen, one of the two founders of the cult New York-based studio Snarkitecture, will open up their thinking in their keynote speeches. The keynote speeches will be heard on the main stage of Habitare, hosted by Jani Toivola.
Note Design Studio
Note Design Studio is a Stockholm-based studio founded in 2008 and today working all over the world. Spanning a diversity of disciplines from architecture, interiors and product design – to strategy, graphic design and art direction – Note’s team is as multifaceted as the spaces and territories in which they operate. The name note is associated with the studio’s aim to get noted. Their list of clients includes Audo, &Tradition, Lammhults, Oreborg, Stora Enso, Tapwell and Tarkett.
The studio is known for their innovative and forward-looking approach, Note has received numerous awards for its work, most recently winning the Furniture of the Year category at the Elle Deco Design Awards Sweden 2024 for the modular Bau seating series designed for Lammhults. The keynote speech at Habitare will be given by Susanna Wåhlin, one of the founders of the studio.
Fredrik Paulsen
Born in 1980 and based in Stockholm, Fredrik Paulsen is a renowned designer celebrated for his bold and innovative approach to furniture and interior design. Having earned a Master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in London, Paulsen’s design journey was marked by a practical and hands-on ethos.
His collaboration with Vaarnii, a Finnish company focused on utilizing pine in its collection, reflects his love for accessible materials and his commitment to simplicity in design. Paulsen’s work is characterized by a playful aesthetic and a dedication to craftsmanship. As the founder of Joy Objects, he brings delight and inspiration to everyday life through thoughtfully crafted furniture, often distinguished by their vibrant and vivid color palettes.
With a keen eye for unpretentious materials and a dedication to pushing the boundaries of design, Paulsen’s work has garnered attention and acclaim both locally and internationally. Notable highlights from his career include collaborations with prestigious institutions such as Röhsska Museet, where he has held solo exhibitions, and installations for institutions like the Nobel Prize Museum. Additionally, Paulsen’s pieces are represented in various museums, and he is represented by the Copenhagen-based gallery Etage Projects.
Margrethe Odgaard
Margrethe Odgaard (b. 1978) is a Danish colour and textile designer renowned for her exploration of the sensory and emotional impacts of colour. Since founding her design studio in 2013, she has seamlessly integrated artistic exploration with commercial collaborations, creating products that aim to please both the eye and the soul. Odgaard has partnered with leading industry brands such as Kvadrat, Montana, Muuto, Hay and Ikea to translate her research into tangible experiences, infusing her distinctive approach into their offerings.
Her work has been exhibited solo at prestigious venues such as the Röhsska Museum and Designmuseo Helsinki. Additionally, she is the author of Shades of Light, a meticulously curated book showcasing 276 colours inspired by Nordic light.
Odgaard’s exceptional talent has been honoured with prestigious awards including the Torsten & Wanja Söderberg Prize and most recently The Art, Design, and Architecture Prize from the Einar Hansen Foundation.
Rikke Frost
Danish designer Rikke Frost (b. 1973) is known, among other things, for her collaboration with Carl Hansen & Søn. Frost’s interest in crafts and materials dates back to her childhood in the small Danish town of Bov. Her curiosity later led her to The Aarhus School of Architecture, where she trained as an industrial designer.
From early on, Frost chose to focus on furniture design and has since designed furniture for several renowned Danish and international companies. She established her own design studio in Aarhus in 2004.
Frost has always been curious about the combination of different craft traditions and types of material. Traditional and contemporary design is expressed in her design portfolio – sofas, tables, chairs and lamps – organically. This also holds true in the Sideways Sofa, which is Rikke Frost’s first collaboration with Carl Hansen & Son. Here, she blends classic materials such as woven paper cord and wood in a modern and functional design.
Rikke Frost has won and been nominated for several awards, including the Danish Design Award and Bolig Magasinets Design Award.
Alex Mustonen
Alex Mustonen, who has roots in Finland, is one of the two founders of the cult New York-based studio Snarkitecture, known for spatial design. Snarkitecture has designed a chair, launched in spring 2024, for the Halikko-based company Made by Choice. Called Lieksa (after the Finnish town), the chair honours Mustonen’s roots.
Alex Mustonen will discuss the approach and work of Snarkitecture, the New York-based design practice he co-founded.
An impossible voyage by an improbable crew to find an inconceivable creature. Snarkitecture is a New York-based design practice dedicated to reimagining the familiar. We collaborate with cultural, commercial and private clients around the world to design memorable spaces, experiences and objects. With a focus on sensory experience, the studio works across scales and typologies, including retail, hospitality, residential, collectible design, and object collaborations.
With an ethos of “not art, not architecture” and a methodology that challenges conventional approaches to materials and structures, our team thrives on creating environments and moments that invite people to explore, play, and reflect.
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