The 2015 Design Deed of the Year Award goes to Useful Stuff Oy and its manufactures ergonomic Drop design pools. The Association for Finnish Work gave special recognition to the business enterprise from Kaarina today in connection with the Habitare Fair. The criteria for the award are originality, a sense of responsibility, and design as part of everyday life.
The Drop pools manufactured by Useful Stuff Oy, which was established in 2009, represent the invention of Finnish designer Nikolai Ruola. Special attention has been given to the elegant design and user-friendliness of Drop pools. The Association for Finnish Work has accredited the company with the Design from Finland mark.
Drop is a wood-heated, ergonomic design pool with an external stove. The pool can easily be sunk into any type of terrace. The pool can also be used without being sunk and panelled according to one’s tastes. The Drop pool can accommodate up to eight adults, all enjoying the pool experience. The pools are made of very durable and easily patch-repaired fibreglass, i.e. reinforced plastic.
“The design of the product already shows fresh, alternative product thinking for what is a already a quite well-established shape. The product offers the consumer a fascinating alternative, where an outdoor pool can be easily integrated as part of modern space construction,” says Industry Advisor Kari Kallonen from the award-granting jury.
Honouring Finnish bathing tradition
According to the award jury, the Drop pool also offers special luxury for everyday life and commendably reinforces the Finnish bathing tradition. Wood heating, combined with the technical features of the pool, increase user comfort and reduce maintenance costs.
“Its user-oriented, minimalistic Scandinavian design has raised a lot of interest. The Drop pool accommodates the needs of each customer, and even the heating type can, if desired, be changed from a wood stove to gas, electricity or even geothermal heat. This unique, splendid design represents the cornerstone of the Drop pool’s success and proves that bold, unbiased design effort can challenge traditional operators,” asserts Anssi Kiviranta, Useful Stuff Oy’s Marketing Manager.
“For us, receiving the Design Deed of the Year award is a fantastic tribute, and it encourages us to make Finnish design well-known also outside the borders of Finland – where we’ve already fixed our sights for the near future.”
The Design Deed of the Year Award was issued for the fourth consecutive time. In previous years, Beibamboo Oy received recognition for the design and production of its bamboo-fibre baby clothes (2012), VM-Carpet for its high-quality and inventive carpets (2013), and Droplet Hitech Design Oy for its protective wooden Lastu covers for mobile devices (2014).
In addition to Kari Kallonen, the award jury consisted of Finnish Textile & Fashion Managing Director Anna-Kaisa Auvinen as well as Tero Lausala, Managing Director of the Association for Finnish Work.
USEFUL STUFF OY FACT BOX:
• Established in 2009, the company manufactures Drop outdoor pools.
• The company’s domicile is Kaarina, where the products are designed.
• Uses fibreglass – i.e. reinforced plastic – as the material in its products.
• Directly employs three persons.
• During its first six months, Drop pools have been sold to the amount of almost half a million euros.
More information:
Johanna Lahti, Brand Manager, Association for Finnish Work, johanna.lahti@avainlippu.fi, +358 (0)40 591 6143
Anssi Kiviranta, Chief Marketing Officer, Useful Stuff Oy, anssi@kiviranta.fi, +358 (0)50 313 0611
The Association for Finnish Work’s Design from Finland mark communicates the message of unique design originating from Finland. The mark brings attention to pioneering businesses focusing on Finnish design as part of their operations and success. www.suomalainentyo.fi/design-from-finland/