Ilmari Tapiovaara Modular Bookshelf "Pala" In Teak, Asko 1950s

This monumental bookshelf "Pala" is by Finnish designer Ilmari Tapiovaara (1914-1999) for Asko. A perfect example of a mid 20-th century bookshelf design from the 1950-1960s.

It is in teak veneer with a combination of black, white and teak sliding doors. The base is black. The overall length is over 5 meters. Each panel's length is 175 cm and depth 32.5 cm. There are various assembly options, so you can customize this shelf for your needs. For example you can divide it into 2 or 3 separate shelfs if you would like, one for books, another as a TV corner and so on...

The beauty of this bookshelf is that it has no screws or any other assembly requirements. A few wooden plugs for attaching the separate panels together if one wishes, but that is optional also. Just place the pieces or doors into their intended areas and that´s it. A simple yet genius design from Ilmari Tapiovaara, one of the Finnish Icons in mid 20-th century design.

Signs of normal wear and use, the general impression is good.

Yrjö Ilmari Tapiovaara(1914-1999) was an internationally renowned Finnish designer best known for his furnishings and textiles.
In WW2, Tapiovaara designed dugouts and field furniture for the Finnish Army, a challenging task given that only local wood could be used, and no nails or screws were available. Tapiovaara furniture was always a part of the whole, were architecture and interior design went hand in hand.
Tapiovaara worked in his early years as a designer for Asko and designed a number of classical chairs as Domus, Aslak, Kiki and Nana.
Tapiovaara won a number of gold medals at the Triennals in 1951,1954(2 golds),1957, and 1960. In the 1950s Tapiovaara worked internationally, for example as an assistant professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. At the same time he worked with Mies van der Rohen in Chicago.

This item might be shipped in a few boxes instead of one, which doesn't mean it is more expensive. We now have affordable shipping rates with DHL across the globe .