Stefan Lindfors – Résumé / CV / Narrative Biography —Updated in November 2020
Stefan Lindfors — Interior Architect, Designer, and Sculptor — was born in the city of Mariehamn in the archipelago of the Aaland Islands (Åland), Finland, in 1962, and graduated from the University of Art & Design Helsinki, Finland, in 1988.
In 1992 Lindfors received the largest cultural award in the nordic countries — the “Väinö Tanner Trailblazer Award”. The jury called him a “Renaissance Man”, and The Times (London) wrote “Calling Lindfors an Industrial Designer would be like calling a Stravinsky symphony a nice song”. Lindfors continues to maintain an active career within the fields of Design, Sculpture, and Interior Architecture.
Most recent and current projects 2019 - 2021 include, among many others: City bike re-designed from classic “Poni” by Tunturi for Climate Cycling, 2019, directed & produced TV-commercials for the launch of Ilmatar Wind 2019, music videos “Muhtumin” (World Music) 2019 & “MLK” (in hommage of the COVID era) 2020, the “Trollfisk” fishing boat for Alutroll 2020, a special edition watch design “Anaconda” & bar stool “Art Menu” both to be launched in 2021, the complete interior design including fabrics, custom made furniture etc. for the new built Art Hotel Helsinki — with a commissioned indoor and outdoor figurehead sculpture; “Örkki” as well - launched and opened in 2021, permanent outdoor sculpture “Spiritus Lux” for the city of Nikkilä, Finland in 2020, three large-scale sculptures; “Play of the Seas” for new passenger ship currently being built for cruise-ferry company Viking Line, to be installed next year.
Since the 1980s:
As a Designer his works include furniture, lamps, table ware, industrial products, clothing, objects, fabrics, and graphic design, such as the internationally awarded “Scaragoo” lamp for Ingo Maurer in 1988 & the “EgO” tableware collection for Iittala in 1998, or lately the concept boat “BSL1” for Buster Boats in 2017.
As an Interior Architect he has executed projects for headquarters, restaurants, shops, and airports as well as street architectural cases such as restaurant terraces and bus & tram stops. In 1992 his flag store for Marimekko was awarded “Best Interior” by Finnish Interior Architects (SIO), and his weather shelter terminal “Kaos” for Helsinki Public Transport in 2012 is now a permanent landmark in the city centre of Helsinki.
As a Sculptor Lindfors’ main focus is his commissioned large-scale sculptures for cities and corporations, such as his 7-meter-high spinning “Winged Victory” for Swatch in the Olympic Park at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta in 1996, and the sculpture façade for the Gershwin Hotel which The New York Times declared “A New Landmark on Manhattan” in 2001. His 20-meter-high permanent monument “Skydreamer” in front of the Helsinki International Airport was unveiled in 2017.
As a Film Director Lindfors has produced, written, and directed Corporate Identity short films, TV Commercials & virals — as well as internationally awarded Music Videos: In 2004 the “Kerrang!” magazine (London) honoured him with the “Best Music Video of the Year” award for “Funeral of Hearts” by HIM, and “Into the Night” received Creepies Video of the Year award (New York) in 2013.
On the academic level Stefan Lindfors has held positions as Professor at Universities of art, design and architecture in the capitals of all Nordic countries, as well as at several universities in the United States — also taking on commissions as Lecturer and Juror worldwide. In the advertising world, Lindfors has served as juror at the Cannes Lions, as well as on the One Show (New York).
Lindfors’ Client List so far includes — among many others - Alessi, Amnesty, Arabia, Artek, Buster Boats, DNA, Finavia, Hackman, Helsinki International Airport, Helsinki Public Transport, Iittala, Ilmatar Wind, JCDecaux, Lundia, Marimekko, Martela, Ingo Maurer, Neste, Nokia, Prime Hotels, Sony Playstation, Swatch, Valio, Viking Line, Vitra, and Warner Music.
Lindfors has received several prestigious international awards for his works.
