Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Nordic Architecture & Design – Sweden
Balzar Beskow creates stylish and durable furniture for public environments.
Dressing the rooms of Sweden’s public sector Starting off in 1957, Swedish furniture brand Balzar Beskow have come a long way since. By creating durable wooden furniture through collaborations with leading designers who value true craftsmanship, the brand has established itself as a family owned business that takes responsibility for the environment while also representing exceptional Swedish furniture design. By Emma Rödin | Photos: Tim Alpen
In a humble factory in the small town of Järvso, Balzar Beskow began its journey by creating furniture especially designed for school environments. In 1960, at a time when cities were growing rapidly, designer Axel Larsson’s today iconic chair S-312 was produced for Balzar Beskow in the hundreds of thousands to cater for the high demand from communal dining halls, classrooms and churches. Still being produced today, S-312 proved a hit to last and cemented Balzar Beskow as a competitor to be reckoned with. “S-312 is simple and durable and works in a wide num90 | Issue 117 | October 2018
ber of contexts. No wonder it remained the main pillar of our product range for such a long period of time,” says the brand’s CEO Raoul Olsson. Continuing down the route of the public sector, creating furniture such as chairs, sofas and tables for schools as well as hospitals, the brand has also made a name for itself in terms of creating furniture suitable for auditoriums. Chairs and tables signed Balzar Beskow can today be found in most Swedish universities where students face their strenuous exams, with the talented de-
signer Tim Alpen being the mastermind behind these.
Partnering with like-minded designers Balzar Beskow has, since the very beginning, only worked with a small selection of independent designers who have their roots in craftsmanship and tradition and who design with sustainability in mind. Alpen, as mentioned, is part of this chosen group and has designed a range of furniture for the company. He is known for his way of incorporating simplicity and clarity into his designs and finding the true essence within his projects. One product to demonstrate all of this is his 2017 Prima bench. “Prima is a new piece that has that apparent simplicity to it. All there is, is a slight angle that cleverly runs through the entire shape and yet this is what gives the construction its strength. It utterly transforms it,” says Olsson.