Hannakaisa Pekkala

Hannakaisa Pekkala is a Finnish designer who studied at the Institute of Design & Fine Arts in Lahti, Finland. While there she explored the relationship between fine art and product design. The knowledge of the two has allowed her to draw from both disciplines while working on new projects and her artistic background shines through in her sculptural pieces.

Hannakaisa Pekkala draws inspiration from the world around her to explore contrasts for her work, such as the clash of the stark landscape of Northern Finland against the bustle of urban cityscapes. While she continuously explores new materials for her work, she remains true to her Scandinavian heritage, often sticking to traditional techniques to create her designs. Hannakaisa Pekkala won 1st place in the Northern Lighting Design Award 2016 for her first version of her Circle pendant.

“I feel that the designer’s role has changed drastically during the past ten years. The focus of many has changed from mass production towards more sustainable, independent small-scale production. This leads to an interesting change also from the artistic side: the freedom of expression outside of commercial needs. I think we’re in the beginning of a new era.” - Hannakaisa Pekkala