Biography

In her long career, Lisa Johansson-Pape achieved an important position within Finnish industrial design as a sought-after designer of lighting and exhibition architecture, as well as a lecturer in Helsinki and later in Japan.

After graduating from the University of Industrial Design in 1927, she began her career at a furniture manufacturer in Kylmäkoski in 1928. After returning to Helsinki, she first worked independently, designing furniture, which she had made by small craftsmen, and carpets for the Friends of Finnish Crafts. In 1937 she took a job in the design department of the Stockmann department store in Helsinki, working under the direction of Werner West. She designed furniture as well as carpets and participated in the 1939 New York World's Fair with her own designs. Johansson-Pape's simple and functional furniture adapted to the limited space of modern homes.

From 1942 to 1967, the designer focused with very great success on the design of lamps and entire lighting concepts, which Stockmann had manufactured in the metal factory ORNO. In the post-war years, creativity was in demand due to the shortage of materials. Johansson-Pape created simple lampshades from wood scraps as well as paper, which spread a soft light and were suitable for domestic use. Later she experimented with various materials such as metal, glass and acrylic. When using acrylic, she collaborated with the company Sanka. She always subordinated details and ornaments to the functional and constructive aspects of the objects. The decorative perforations in the metal lampshades, for example, serve primarily to provide ventilation and ensure that the shade does not overheat.Lisa Johansson-Pape provided designs for public buildings, including hospitals and train stations, for cruise ships and sacred buildings. She also appeared as a designer for exhibitions, such as at the 1951 and 1954 Milan Triennials.Johansson-Pape was a co-founder of the Illuminating Engineering Society of Finland and was an active member of several national design organizations, including Suomen Käsityön Ystävät, which she led as artistic director from 1951 to 1985.

Objects by Lisa Johansson-Pape