Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Nordic Architecture & Design – Sweden
The home of acoustic design Glimakra of Sweden is famous for its acoustic design. Its products are as pleasing to the eye as they are to the ear. By Malin Norman | Photos: Glimakra of Sweden
This year, Glimakra of Sweden celebrates its 70th anniversary. Set up in 1948, the company initially manufactured handlooms but eventually changed its direction towards interior products for public spaces, still with great care and craftsmanship. “Our business really took off when we started focusing on design and creating, in particular, partitions, screens and absorbents,” says marketing director Christian Dahlström. Over the years, Glimakra of Sweden has partnered with prominent designers such as Bertil Harström and Johan Kauppi, as well as leading researchers in acous92 | Issue 117 | October 2018
tics, including Professor Klas Hagberg. Together, they have developed products to improve room acoustics and set standards for the industry.
Conscious designs for public spaces Glimakra of Sweden’s mission is to provide stylish interiors for environments, to make people feel comfortable, especially in public spaces. “The conscious effort to increase our design status has led to a timeless, elegant style that is pleasing to the eye as well as the ear,” confirms Dahlström. “We strive to be innovative and create products that look great and that are also ground-breaking in acoustics.”
In particular, activity-based offices benefit from acoustic design, to create the right environment for the range of activities that take place there. “Open-planned offices can be challenging and there is a greater need to create separate areas for meetings and social interaction versus more quiet work spaces with less distractions,” explains Dahlström. In addition to its partitions and screens, Glimakra of Sweden also creates, for instance, storage and lighting solutions