how do you make a design stand the hard test of time? it’s easy, just go for a perfect balance between functionality and form. then keep refining and evolving your idea over and over to make sure it stays in step with changing times. this is exactly how the light and airy string® shelving system has become a beloved design icon, a shining example of timeless Scandinavian modern.

it all started with a revelation and a competition. in 1949, the leading Swedish publishing house bonniers released that people would likely buy more books if they had somewhere to put them. with this in mind, bonniers launched a competition calling for a shelving solution that was affordable, easy to ship, easy assemble and easy to install. 

married couple nils and kajsa strinning entered and won the competition with their ingenious solution: a flexible, elegant and minimalist shelving system that could be mounted on any wall. and voilà: string® was born. the design met with immediate success and nils strinning rose to fame as one of the most influential designers of the scandinavian modern era. 

in the following years, nils and kajsa kept refining the string® system to perfection, making sure it was not just beautiful but also functional. where the architect nils was fast and innovative with a steady flow of new concepts, designer kajsa was thorough, artistic and patient. together, they created a timeless system that could be infinitely expanded and modified with the addition of shelves, folding tables, cabinets and so on.

retailers appreciated the fact that the system was flat-packed and easy to transport. customers loved the fact that their string® was a high quality solution made in sweden yet surprisingly affordable. they also liked that their string® could grow and change with them over time – a clever lifelong investment. 

retailers appreciated the fact that the system was flat-packed and easy to transport. customers loved the fact that their string® was a high quality solution made in sweden yet surprisingly affordable. they also liked that their string® could grow and change with them over time – a clever lifelong investment.

Physix Studio is a successful hybrid of Physix and Physix Conference and offers excellent comfort and freedom of movement thanks to the flexibility of the resilient seat frame and elastic textile cover. Its agility and functional features make it an ideal chair for studio and workshop environments or temporary work spaces. Physix Studio is a successful hybrid of Physix and Physix Conference and offers excellent comfort and freedom of movement thanks to the flexibility of the resilient seat frame and elastic textile cover. Its agility and functional features make it an ideal chair for studio and workshop environments or temporary work spaces.

the advantages of string® are still apparent to customers all over the world today. modern since 1949, the string® family has consistently evolved and expanded to suit a contemporary lifestyle. and just as the first version of string® was a prize winner, the string® system has continued to bring home awards and recognition like the gold medal at the triennale in milan (1954), classification as a work of applied art under copyright law (2009) and the german design award (2016). 

over time, the string® family has been expanded with the addition of sister collections such as string® plex, string® pocket, string® works and string® +. we keep developing, refining and adapting string® to make sure it’s a working shelving system for way more than books – it’s a system that can be tailored to suit your home and your belongings. no matter which version you select, string® will give you more space in your life and more life in your space.

More info on string.se