Designer
Jonas Forsman
Jonas Forsman has studied technical design at Chalmers in Gothenburg. Awarded Red dot on numerous occasions and also Design S for his products.
Industrial designer working from the inside and out. The functionality is always the starting point when creating his clear cut products, often by using different materials or new mechanical solutions as a foundation. Studied industrial design engineering on Chalmers university of technology in Gothenburg where he also runs his studio since 2006. Awarded Red dot several times and Design S for his products.
Interview with Jonas Forsman
Tell us about yourself!
Even as a child I want to explore things and could be fascinated by watching a waterwheel turning in a stream. And that curiosity gradually led to me doing a master’s degree in industrial design. I’ve lived in Gothenburg for half my life, and have my studio here but I originally come from Småland. I feel a strong connection to the furniture tradition there and enjoy visiting manufacturers in Småland – you learn so much from doing that!
Do you have a design philosophy?
For me, function comes before form. I always start with the function and then take an exploratory approach to the design. I ask myself questions; things like “How thin can I make something?” or “Can I join two different materials in a special way?” My design has to answer questions, and I’m inspired more by a small, smart, technical solution than a beautiful sculpture. As a person, I’m straightforward and solution-oriented, and I think that’s reflected in my furniture.
For me, function comes before form. I always start with the function and then take an exploratory approach to the design.
Jonas Forsman
Tell us about Create Storage and Evo, which you designed for EFG.
Create Storage was my first project for EFG and I thought about how I could create flexible storage with modules that could be extended vertically and horizontally instead of the user having to buy a new product. The modules mean the furniture can easily be adapted to different spaces. I also like the fact that the end user gets to choose the design themselves. The starting point for Evo was to create a sustainable chair combining tradition and craftsmanship with innovation and a new type of material combination. We did loads of trials, working with the structure of the 3D knitted textile to create volume in the fabric and to find a good way of attaching it to the wooden frame. It’s challenging, but above all fun to do something that hasn’t been done before!
