Kari Virtanen

Kari Virtanen (b. 1948) is a master Finnish carpenter whose uncompromising dedication has earned him a place among the country’s most respected furniture makers. In 1967, he founded Nikari, a company specializing in high-quality wooden furniture, based in the Fiskars Village.

Virtanen has received several prestigious awards for his contribution to design, including the Finnish State Prize for Design in 2005, the Pro Finlandia Medal in 2009, and the Kaj Franck Design Prize in 2022.