A stool that also serves as a storage box: BURSJÖN is a good example of furniture that serves several purposes. Multifunctional furniture became an important area for IKEA, partly to meet the needs of the increasing number of people living in compact spaces.
BURSJÖN came about at a design studio in Copenhagen, where designer Niels Gammelgaard and IKEA design manager Lars Engman were trying to design products for IKEA that would reflect new trends and use new production technology. Several other trend-setting designers were added to the team, including Ehlén Johansson and Nicholai Wiig Hansen.
In 1998 the team designed a storage box and lid in sturdy plastic. Thanks to the lid and the product’s stability, it could also be used as a stool. Named BURSJÖN it was launched in the 2000 IKEA catalogue, and was sold in a range of colours for a further five years.
