Mari Koppanen
Mari Koppanen stands at the forefront of contemporary design, operating at the intersections of design, material innovation, and artistic inquiry. Through raw material production and strong visual storytelling, the studio shapes the boundaries of future furniture design and material possibilities. Each piece emerges as a testament to the pursuit of novelty, where form seamlessly intertwines with function, sustainability, and social consciousness. Established by Finnish designer and Ph.D. Research Candidate Mari Koppanen, the studio specializes in crafting objects with a particular focus on the potential of materials and pigments derived from fungi and other micro-organisms.
Kääpä+ by Mari Koppanen delves into the tactile world of amadou, a unique leather-like material derived from tinder mushrooms. The project breathes new life into this cultural and historical material, creating captivating lighting prototypes that merge amadou with ceramic bases. Amadou pieces that would otherwise go unused due to their small size are repurposed and incorporated into the objects as a completely biodegradable composite material. Embodying the story of tinder mushrooms and their spiritual nature, the Kääpä+'s research-oriented approach introduces new perspectives on future material possibilities.
