Mika Tolvanen

Mika Tolvanen is a Finnish designer, born in Lieksa in 1975 and now based in Helsinki. He studied at the Royal College of Art where he graduated in 2001, in the same year he launched his personal design practice. Tolvanen believes good design starts with functionality, creating self-explanatory products that are not only functional but also beautiful. He is part of the Finnish Rehti Design Group, a forum of young Finnish designers who share a passion for simple design.

In 2015 Mika Tolvanen founded Studio Tolvanen alongside his wife Julie, their projects range from small everyday objects to furniture collections, which they design from their workshop on the island of Lauttasaari. Tolvanen has won numerous accolades for his work in the design field, he has been awarded the Bruno Mathsson Prize, Finnish Furniture Designer of the Year, and 1st Prize in Finland’s 100-Year Anniversary Competition for his work.

"The way of approaching design is always very personal to each individual designer. The way we dwell here in Finland has permeated our lives and the way we design. Scandinavian design has always been here and there have been no gaps between periods. Only the means of manufacturing have evolved, making new design more exciting." - Mika Tolvanen