String - Furniture

THE REVIVERS

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The String

shelf system was already an icon when

Anna von Schewen and Björn Dahlström began their

collaboration with String Furniture in 2011. Kajsa and

Nisse Strinning’s shelving system started to sell in big

numbers more or less immediately after its introduction

in 1949. Soon it had found a place in many Swedish

homes and was well-known internationally. It’s no

exaggeration to say that String

is in the DNA of Anna

and Björn, who were both born and raised in Sweden.

This could easily have instilled a respect of paralysing

proportions, but instead they have shown a deep under-

standing of the heart of the brand.

“Taking on a phenomenon like String there’s a risk of

focusing too much on the obvious attributes. In this case,

the ‘strings’ of the wall panels,” says Björn. “But if we

just developed a lot of products based on a 5-millimetre

metal wire, the outcome would feel quite bland.”

Another thing that they realised was the importance

of not rushing the creative process.

“Björn and I have an ongoing dialogue about String

and share a true ambition to develop the concept

behind the brand,” says Anna. “At the same time, we’ve

learned not to lose our focus on quality by continuously

creating new things.”

So, what’s the point of a creative approach at all?

String

is a design classic. Doesn’t it all come down to a

timeless style, fulfilling timeless needs?

“String

provides storage,” says Anna. “Everybody

needs that. But the requirements for storage change over

time, so the solutions need to keep up with the times.”

Anna explains how these solutions meet the require-

ments in different ways – practically, visually, even how

it feels to touch the furniture’s surface – but makes it

clear that their work is never about just being beautiful.

Everything is connected to function and how String

can be developed to allow multiple configurations that

suit an even wider range of room types.

One of the first designs they created for String

Furniture was the folding table for String

System.

Björn, who is an industrial designer particularly enjoyed

it, since a lot of effort was put into developing

the special hinges. An impressive focus on detail

which makes the folding table as smart as it is beautiful

– in line with the original concept behind String

. Now,

the shelf could be transformed into a table in no time

– a stroke of genius understood by anybody who has

tried compact living.

Anna and Björn also accepted an assignment to

renew the shelves’ wooden boards, a development that

could pave the way for String’s future.

The solution emerged when the designers began

experimenting with thin metal boards, giving them

punched-out holes and folding up the front edge by

20 millimetres.

“The fold adds stability, and gives a visual similarity

to the wooden boards, which are 20 millimetres thick,”

says Björn.

The punched-out holes add a light touch, and they open

up the possibility of new features: hooks, rods and

various accessories that can easily be attached to String

“The metal boards actually add another key platform

to String

,” says Anna. “A system within the system.”

A majority of the new accessories are even made

out of 5- millimetre metal string, just like the string used

for String

wall panels since 1949. It’s an elegant way

of seamlessly connecting the past to the future.

Even before the addition of von Schewen & Dahlström’s

metal shelves and accessories, String Furniture claimed

that the String

system could be configured in thousands

of ways, using all of its elements and colours. With

the work of Anna and Björn, the number of possible,

personalised configurations has multiplied.

When the designers created the office line Works,

they offered a solution to office designers wanting to

“disconnect” String

System from the walls without

spoiling its characteristic lightness and transparency.

For example, the frame of the adjustable work desk is

very slender, compared to traditional desks – a typical

feature used through the range.

All this deep engagement in String

must have made a

ANNA VON SCHEWEN & BJÖRN DAHLSTRÖM