Paavo Tynell

Lighting designer Paavo Tynell, “the man who illuminated Finland,” was one of the founders and chief designer of Taito Oy—the first industrial producer of lighting fixtures in Finland. With the innovation of electricity, Taito Oy and Tynell expanded the thinking and manufacturing of modern lighting solutions in Europe and abroad. His lighting designs varied from sconces, to desk and pendant lamps, to chandeliers. A master craftsmen himself, Tynell’s elegant brass designs were derivative of a traditional aesthetic with a modern sensibility. He also collaborated with some of the most celebrated Finnish architects of his day, such as Alvar Aalto and Eero Saarinen, working with them to incorporate artificial lighting into their modern environments. He is also known for his lighting design for the UN Secretary General’s office in New York.