Thanks to the success Wirkkala obtained at the 1951, 1954 and 1957 edition of the Milan Triennale, Finnish applied arts acquired new attention from the international audience. During these years Wirkkala received no less than three Grand Prix, for architecture, glassware designs and woodcarving. As per Wirkkala’s own words: "I went to the Triennale without any drawings, just a few pine panels and sheets of glass. According to a Finnish saying, ‘plain and simple is better than fancy but tasteless. My solution was the simplest possible".