Background
Folkform was founded in Stockholm in 2005 by Chandra Ahlsell (b. 1973) and Anna Holmquist (b. 1978), who met while studying industrial design at Konstfack. Ahlsell went on to study at the Pratt Institute in New York, Holmquist at Goldsmiths in London and the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. The duo describe their working method as “telling stories through materials” — using design to surface the people, places and processes behind Swedish manufacturing, often working directly with small-scale producers and craftspeople whose techniques might otherwise go unrecorded.
The Museum of Masonite
Folkform’s best-known and most widely exhibited project is the Museum of Masonite, a body of work built around cabinets and furniture made from masonite — a humble, industrially produced Swedish building material recast as a fine material in its own right. The project and its related Production Stories exhibitions have been shown at Rian Design Museum, Vandalorum, Landskrona konsthall, Bukowskis and the Stockholm Furniture Fair, and its pieces are held in the permanent design collections of Sweden’s Nationalmuseum and Norway’s National Museum.
Furniture and lighting
For Örsjö Belysning Folkform has designed the long-running Plissé lamp collection — including the Plissé White Edition, named Lighting of the Year — alongside the Skyline and Libreria lamps. For Källemo they designed the Perforated Furniture collection, and for Svenskt Tenn a pleated lighting collection that reinterprets Josef Frank’s patterns using traditional hand-pleating techniques.
Recognition
In 2019 Folkform received the Bruno Mathsson Prize, one of the Nordic region’s most prestigious design awards, alongside the Scandinavian Design Award and multiple Dezeen Award longlistings.
https://www.folkform.se
Designs by Folkform
Svensk Form Names 13 Recipients of Utmärkt Svensk Form 2026
Svensk Form has named the thirteen recipients of Utmärkt Svensk Form 2026, the organization’s annual …
Källemo presents two additions to its collection within Sculptura Exhibition
Källemo presents new works by Folkform and Mats Theselius during 3daysofdesign Copenhagen, Denmark | 10–12 …
Sculptura Exhibition Källemo & Örsjö @ 3daysofdesign
Welcome to experience the Källemo & Örsjö collection at Bredgade 69 during 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen. …
Aino & Alvar Aalto Exhibition at Vandalorum
Exhibition May 23, 2026–January 24, 2027 This exhibition presents Aino Marsio-Aalto and Alvar Aalto, one …
New Plissé color Pale Blue by Folkform for Örsjö
Folkform and Örsjö Extend the Hand-Pleated Lamp Series Örsjö Belysning has extended Folkform’s Plissé table …
Folkform Designs The Perforated Furniture for Källemo
Swedish furniture brand Källemo presents The Perforated Furniture, a new design series by Stockholm-based studio …
Folkform’s summer exhibition The Museum of Masonite @ Vida Art Gallery
FOLKFORM Anna Holmquist & Chandra Ahlsell 5/7 – 28/9 2025 Most designers turn their nose …
Bruno Mathsson’s prize celebrates 40 years @ Vandalorum
26 October 2024–15 June 2025 In 2024, it will be 40 years since the Bruno …
Folkform: The Museum of Masonite @ Landskrona konsthall
Welcome to the exhibition Folkform: The Museum of Masonite at Landskrona Art Gallery. The exhibition …
Plissé table lamp by Folkform in red and blue – Örsjö
The Plissé table lamp design by Folkform now also comes in red and blue Its …
Folkform: The Museum of Masonite @ Stockholm Furniture Fair
In their exhibition The Museum of Masonite, the Swedish design studio Folkform emphasizes the importance …
Bruno + 35 Mathsson Prize Winners @ Sven-Harrys konstmuseum
26th January – 7th April 2024 For the first time, Bruno Mathsson’s timeless furniture is …
Monochrome jute & wool collection by Folkform | Louis De Poortere
The monochrome jute and wool collection is designed by Folkform in collaboration with Louis De …
Traditional pleating techniques Folkform collection for Svenskt Tenn
Art and design duo Folkform interprets Josef Frank’s pattern universe in a new lighting collection …
The winners of Scandinavian Design Awards 2023
We are happy to announce the winners of the newly established Scandinavian Design Awards, selected …
Plissé White Edition – Lighting of the year! by Folkform – Örsjö
Plissé White Edition — Lighting of the year! Plissé White Edition is a new lamp …
All winners in Residence’s big Form Prize 2022
Residence’s Form Prize 2022 (Residence Stora Formpris) — the annual Swedish design and interior award …
Folkform: Factory Works @ Bukowskis
Folkform: Factory Works is an exhibition and auction of objects from the Stockholm-based design studio …
Folkform: Production Stories @ Rian Design Museum 2020
September 19 – November 22, 2020 Do you know how, where and by whom the …
Folkform for Bruno Mathsson International – exclusive collaboration with Bukowskis
In 2020, Bukowski’s 150 years are celebrating! To celebrate this, every month during this anniversary …
Anna in five variants by Folkform for Bruno Mathsson Int.
Bruno Mathsson’s taburett Anna is interpreted in five variants of Folkform In their new interpretation …
Folkform: Production Stories @ Vandalorum
Exhibition 5/10 2019 – 23/2 2020 Vandalorum will be pleased to present the design duo …
Female Traces @ Museum of furniture Studies
New theme exhibition at Furniture Design Museum October 12, 2019 – March 1, 2020 The …
Bruno Mathsson prize 2019 awarded to Folkform
“The 2019 Bruno Mathsson Award was given to Chandra Ahlsell and Anna Lovisa Holmquist, from …
Örsjö Belysning celebrates its heritage with a Folkform designed-display
The colour red has always had a certain significance to the Swedish lighting brand Örsjö …
Libreria by Folkform – Örsjö
Libreria, designed by Folkform, has a powdercoated steel construction and the glass globe is made …
Skyline by Folkform – Örsjö
Skyline- an airborne city The lamp reminds of a stylized, airborne city, a modern crystal …
The Scale of Things in Milano
An exhibition of experimental work by Jens Fager, Folkform, Färg & Blanche, Jonas Wagell, Lukas …