Stefan Lindfors – Résumé (CV) – Narrative Biography – January 2019

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 was honoured with the largest cultural award in the nordic countries – the “Väinö Tanner Trailblazer Award” – 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 on the international arena within the fields of Design, Architecture, and Sculpture.

As Designer, his works include furniture, lamps, table ware, industrial products, clothing, objects, fabrics and graphic design, such as the internationally awarded “EgO” table ware collection for Iittala in 1998, or the concept boat “BSL1” for Buster Boats in 2017.

As Interior Architect, he has executed projects for headquarters, restaurants, shops, and airports, as well as street architectural cases such as restaurant terraces & 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 Sculptor, Lindfors’ main core are 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 Film Director, Lindfors has produced, written and directed Corporate Identity short films, TV Commercials & virals - and internationally awarded Music Videos as well: In 2004 Kerrang! magazine (London) gave him the “Best Music Video of the Year” award for “Funeral of Hearts” by HIM, and “Into the Night” received Creepies Video of the Year Winner (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 for corporations and universities world wide. In the advertising world, Lindfors has served as juror at the Cannes Lions, as well as on the One Show (New York).

In addition to his commissions by cities, museums, hotels, instituitions, cruise ships and airports, Lindfors’ Client List so far includes – among many others - Alessi, Amnesty, Arabia, Artek, Buster Boats, DNA, Finavia, Hackman, Helsinki Public Transport, Iittala, JCDecaux, Lundia, Marimekko, Martela, Ingo Maurer, Neste, Nokia, Sony Playstation, Swatch, Valio, Vitra, and Warner Music.

Lindfors has earned several prestigious international awards for his works.