Yki Nummi

Yki Nummi Design (1925 – 1984)

Designer Yki Nummi was born in the province of Huan in China, where his parents worked as missionaries. After matriculating in 1945, Nummi first studied mathematics and physics, but later opted for a career in design, graduating from the department of decorative painting of the Institute of Applied Arts in Helsinki in the spring of 1950.

Nummi was a versatile designer, who played a part in making Finnish design world-renowned in the 1950s. Upon graduating, he was employed as a designer by the Stockmann-Orno lamp and light-fixture factory, serving in this capacity until 1975. One of his best-known lamp designs was Modern Art, produced by Orno in 1955. Yki Nummi also designed lighting and light fixtures for many schools, hospitals, restaurants and other public facilities.

In the 1950s and 1960s, Yki Nummi designed light fixtures and various types of serving trays and containers for the Sanka company of Loviisa in acrylic, which was a new material at the time. His designs evolved in the factory’s Y Collection. Nummi is one of the pioneers of design in plastics in Finland.