Best in Show Greenhouse x Sight Unseen

Bursell/Svedborg

Tables that celebrate craftsmanship and where contrasting materials meet – with these, the Stockholm-based design duo Adrian Bursell and Siri Svedborg won the Best in Show Greenhouse x Sight Unseen award 2024.

Adrian Bursell and Siri Svedborg

The idea for the Burn and Turn series was born during their design studies five years ago. It wasn’t until their application to Greenhouse 2024 that Siri Svedborg and Adrian Bursell decided to realize their vision. The result is a series of side tables inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement, made locally in Stockholm using different craft techniques. We caught up with the duo to find out more about the design process and their participation in Greenhouse.

SFF: Congratulations Siri and Adrian – you exhibited in the Greenhouse this year and were awarded Best in Show. What was it about the Burn and Turn tables that made you win?

“Thank you! We believe the project expresses the possibilities of craft in a contemporary and playful way. In a world where digital perfection is increasing, there is a growing demand for the imperfect and unique. There is a human presence in craft.”

SFF: You met during your design studies at Konstfack in 2018. What was it that drew you to each other and made your collaboration so obvious?

“We decided to work together during a furniture course at Konstfack. At the end of the course, we realized that our collaboration had led to a new and exciting result for us, which we don’t think would have happened if we had worked individually. Our collaboration is characterized by the fact that we both tend to have clear, often different, views on what we want the project to look like. In discussions, our different visions are processed into something more than the individual expression. In addition, we have different strengths in the design process that complement each other.”

SFF: Tell us about Burn and Turn – what is the inspiration and ideas behind the tables?

“The basic idea was born during a course at Konstfack. The starting point was how the ideas of the Arts & Crafts movement could be transformed into contemporary furniture. We embraced the movement’s use of materials, ornamentation and craftsmanship, resulting in the Burn and Turn table series.”

SFF: What has your involvement in Greenhouse resulted in?

“Our participation has been a catalyst for the whole Burn and Turn series. We decided to apply to Greenhouse, and with that, we began designing and manufacturing the tables. We have gained very valuable visibility, new contacts, and the energy to continue developing Burn and Turn.”

TEXT Eva Magnuszewska
PHOTO Andy Liffner

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