Artek - tea trolley 901 coloring , red / turquoise

Tea trolley 901 ColoRing - Alvar Aalto 1936.

The Artek trolley is inspired by the British tea culture, with which Aino and Alvar Aalto were introduced to all their many travels, as well as the Japanese woodwork and architecture they admired.

The tea trolley 901, designed by Alvar Aalto for Artek in 1936, has been given a new look with the ColoRing technique. Released in 2019, the ColoRing range is part of Artek's FIN / JPN Friendship Collection. The collection celebrates the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and Japan.

Developed by Japanese architect and designer Jo Nagasaka, the ColoRing surface treatment accentuates the wood's natural grain patterns with bright colors. Based on traditional Japanese Udukuri and Tsugaru nuri techniques, the ColoRing technique was created by brushing soft-grained pinewood with a hard-haired brush and covering it with two coats of colored lacquer. When the layers are subsequently sanded away, a colorful play of the grain patterns on the wood is created.

Dimensions: L 90 cm. H 56 cm. D 50 cm. Frame: birch Wheels: MDF Top and Shelf: laminate or linoleum.

Tea trolley comes in four variants: birch clear lacquered with black linoleum, birch clear lacquered with white laminate, birch black lacquered / peat color MDF wheels and peat linoleum top and black linoleum shelf (version Hella Jongerius), birch clear lacquered, white MDF wheels with red / turquoise ColoRing top and shelf.

The designer:

Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) is probably the most famous Finnish architect and designer in the world. In 1921, Alvar Aalto received a degree in architecture from the Helsinki Institute of Technology and started his career as an architect. One of the most important works he got was the planning of the tuberculosis sanatorium in Paimio, Finland. This project also marked the start of Aalto's career as a furniture designer - in fact, this was the first building planned by Aalto that was fully furnished with furniture designed by Aalto himself, including the lighting. Other important projects Alvar Aalto completed include the Municipal Library of Viipuri, Villa Mairea, La Maison Carré and the Finnish Pavilions for the 1937 Paris and 1939 New York World's Fairs.