The largest annual tradeshow for Scandinavian design takes place—fittingly, perhaps—in the middle of the long Nordic winter, when the temperature is typically hovering around freezing. Even so, the quality and quantity of the products and projects brings some 50,000 visitors to the Stockholmsmässan over the course of a week. Taking place from February 6–12, the city's eponymous design week coincides with the Furniture & Light Fair, which ran from the 7–11th this year, featuring a tasteful selection of new and recent work by independent designers and studios alongside more commercial offerings.

We undertook a whirlwind tour of the fair, which was divided into three main sections with the usual tradeshow fare, as well as a number of special guest exhibitions throughout the Stockholmsmässan. While it was nice to see blockbuster booths from well-known Scandinavian brands such as HAY, Muuto, Normann Copenhagen, Menu, Kvadrat, etc., it was the independent brands and student presentations that offered the latest and greatest projects. 

Here are just a few highlights from the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair 2017.

Originating from the Hancock Shaker Village in Massachusetts, "Furnishing Utopia" is an ongoing collaboration between over a dozen designers, who have revisited traditional typologies developed by "the first minimalists" from the late 1700s. The Shaker Design Project debuted at NYCxDesign last year and the latest edition includes new pieces alongside the first collection; participants include Core favs Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, Chris Specce, Studio Gorm, Gabriel Tan, Zoë Mowat, Jonah Takagi, and many more.

In the foreground: "Trestle Table" by Studio Gorm; "Brush Study" by Zoë Mowat; "Stepstool" by Anderssen & Voll

"Hancock Basket" by Studio Tolvanen; Broom and Sconce by Tom Bonamici

"Handy" folding ladder and rake by Chris Specce; "Secretary Desk" and "Woven Stools" by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio

Smaller objects such as "The Hand" by Studio Tolvanen, baskets by Studio Gorm, "Brethern Doorstops" by Gabriel Tan, and measuring tools by Ladies & Gentlemen Studio

The Danish Design Maker exhibition included 20 projects and prototypes, such as the "Sui" chair by Studio FEM

"Plusboxes" by Wednesday Architecture 

"Volume" chairs by Jonas Edvard & Nikolaj Steenfatt

Muuto was among the many Scandinavian brands at the fair.

Curated by second-year "Design + Change" students, Linnaeus University's exhibition showcased speculative projects by third-year "Design and Sustainability students.

"UOK" by Sofie Röjne hypothesizes products to suppress the five senses.

At top, "Genderation INC." by Elis Frederiksen; below, "Black & Blue" by Emelie Sandahl

"Xenotransplantation" by Ebba Johansson addresses organ transplanting between humans and animals, and vice versa

Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture presented "Under Bar Himmel," a collection of bent-steel chairs.

Konstfack grad Keisuke Kawase

TORU hails from Barcelona

Studio Foy is based in Oslo

Beckmans College of Design

Jaime Hayon was this year's Guest of Honor

The Spanish designer created a pavilion in the atrium of the Stockholmsmässan 

Hayon was the 14th Guest of Honor for the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair.