Bruno Mathsson Prize 2010 is awarded to Thomas Bernstrand

The Bruno Mathsson Prize for 2010 goes to the Swedish designer Thomas Bernstrand, Stockholm

Bruno Mathsson established the prize over 25 years ago to support and encourage primarily young designers in the Nordic countries. The Bruno Mathsson Prize has developed into a prestigious award. The prize amount is 200,000 kronor.

The Mathsson Foundation states in its motivation that Thomas Bernstrand with empathy and persistence succeeds in renewing everyday objects – creating precision and function with an esprit that clarifies the emotional dimensions’ importance for achieving timeless quality.

In a presentation of Thomas Bernstrand, foundation member Hedvig Hedqvist writes: – From Thomas Bernstrand has come a steady stream of products, large and small, that are headstrong in a positive sense and often cleverly solve problems – or facilitate order in situations that could just as well have ended in chaos.

The first taste of Thomas Bernstrand’s design was his acclaimed and not entirely easy-to-digest thesis works, the hanging lamp “Do swing”, which also functions as a trapeze for those who want to strengthen their back muscles, and the step sofa “Wembley”, which gives the seated person the possibility to choose physical level, to be at floor or ground level alternatively higher up with a better view of the room or landscape.

On Södermalm in Stockholm, behind Skatteskrapan, Thomas Bernstrand has created “Stranden”, a collection of sun chairs and parasols that give an inviting illusion of life at another latitude. Only the choice of material, lacquered metal, reminds us that here beach life has been adapted to the prevailing climate. It is a brilliant interruption in otherwise homogeneous residential quarters.

Thomas Bernstrand is obsessed with perfection in all details. Everything he does must become a little better. He has a strict view of quality but is simultaneously carried by a great measure of creative thinking and feeling for dimensions and materials as well as the ability to refine and implement his projects all the way.

The Bruno Mathsson Prize will be awarded at Form Design Center in Malmö by the county governor of Skåne county, Göran Tunhammar, on Friday, September 24, 2010.

Thomas Bernstrand will then be presented by cultural journalist Mark Isitt, Enskede. At the same time there will be an opening for an exhibition that reflects Thomas Bernstrand’s design. The exhibition is shown in Malmö during September 24 – November 7 and thereafter in Bruno Mathsson’s hometown Värnamo November 13 – December 4, 2010.

Bruno Mathsson © Bruno Mathsson International