Sustainable Finnish Design

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sustainable finnish design

Design is a state of mind in Finland and is woven seamlessly into everyday life. It is a way of living that embraces timeless beauty, sustainability and a harmonious relationship with the natural world.

Alvar Aalto, Finland’s most celebrated architect and designer, once said that “form must have a content and that content must be linked with nature.” Aalto gave equal measure to form and function and let the Finnish landscape be his muse. He took inspiration from the shapes and hues of the surrounding environment to create beautiful objects and liveable spaces. His unique brand of Organic Modernism sought to bring about a more humane quality to design and architecture that set Finland apart from its contemporaries in the early modernist movement and remains central to the design culture today.

About Finland

Full of interesting contrasts, such as the four seasons, the Midnight Sun and winter darkness, urban and rural, East and West.

About Finland

nature embedded in design

Nature is embedded in Finland’s rich design heritage which can be traced to the Arts and Crafts movement and Jugenstil that flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Also referred to as National Romanticism, the decorative architecture of the period expressed a “Dream of the North” and borrowed from the elemental legends of the Kalevala, Finland’s epic saga. The international modernist movement which emerged in the 1920s was influential in shifting Finland towards a more streamlined and minimalist aesthetic, but Finnish Modernism, largely shaped by Alvar Aalto, ensured that the contact with nature was ever- present. Together with his wife Aino, he redefined Finnish design and architecture and helped to establish a new national identity in the post-independence era.

design as healing power

One of their early collaborations was a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients near the town of Paimio for which they won an architectural competition in 1929. Aalto thought that architecture should not only be in harmony with nature; it must also have empathy for the human being. The unadorned white building is nestled in a soothing pine forest and the light-filled interiors were designed to create an environment of peacefulness for the patients. The Paimio Chair (1930-31) which the Aaltos designed for the hospital, is considered a tour de force in furniture design. Made with birch plywood, the sculptural, curvilinear chair is functional, restful and elegant and remains one of the most iconic designs of the 20th century.

“clarity, functionality and poetic simplicity”

For Alvar Aalto, wood was a “form-inspiring, deeply human material” and success experimenting in bent wood led the Aaltos, together with art patron Maire Gullichsen and historian Nils-Gustav Hahl to set up the furniture company Artek in 1935. “Clarity, functionality and poetic simplicity” were the guiding principles under which they worked and propelled their small Nordic country to the international stage. The organic, sensual shapes they created in wood were replicated in glass, including Aino’s Wave or Bölgeblick series (1932) and Alvar Aalto’s iconic lake-shaped Savoy Vase (1936). It was Alvar Aalto’s architectural accomplishments, however, which best showcase his role as an early ambassador for the environment.

sustainable = form and function in harmony

Aalto worked on over 500 buildings and monuments over the course of his career, both in Finland and abroad, including the renowned Viipuri Library (1935) and Finlandia Hall (1971). A more humble example of his visionary talent is the Helsinki house he shared and designed with Aino. The iconic Aalto House can be seen as a prototype for sustainable living and a blueprint for his more ambitious project, Villa Mairea. Intended as an all- season home and studio, the Aalto House was completed in 1936, and is a masterful synthesis of form and function.

blending with nature

Nature informed the design of the house and was left virtually undisturbed during its construction. Made of white brick and clad in batten timber, the modest structure is striking for its clean lines, intimacy and attention to detail. Large south-facing windows harness natural light and reflect the surrounding environment, while thick exterior walls provide protection from the harsh winter climate. The interior is uncluttered and tastefully furnished with many of the couple’s own furniture designs and a large south-facing terrace and four open hearths in the garden are evidence of their symbiotic relationship with the natural world.

timeless design

The 50s and 60s are often referred to as the Golden Era of Finnish design. Aalto’s Organic Modernism influenced a generation of designers who became influential in their own right and took with them the core values of beauty, function and humanism. A tradition of acknowledging individual talent through design competitions and exhibitions brought international recognition to many Fiinns, including luminaries such as Kaj Franck, Tapio Wirkkala, Timo Sarapaneva, Nanny Still and Oiva Toikka, to name just a few.

living simply and with less

Kaj Franck is known as the conscience of Finnish design. He believed that to live an ethical life one had to live simply and with less. It was a pioneering concept with roots in a traditional lifestyle. Working between 1940 and 1980, Franck produced ceramics for Arabia and glassworks for Iittala and Nuutajarvi, creating beautiful everyday objects that would stand the test of time. His exquisite, pure forms raised the bar and ushered in a period of prolific output and exceptionalism in Finnish design. Franck’s most notable series include the glazed-faienced Kilta range for Arabia (1952), later rebranded as Teema, and Kartio glassware for Iittala (1958), both of which are still in production. The Kaj Franck Design Prize is awarded annually in Finland to a designer working in the spirit of Kaj Franck.

embedding design into everyday life

In 2012, Helsinki was appointed World Design Capital and the city, and Finland respectively, became a focus for design excellence. With the theme Embedding Design in Life, and an aim to improving people’s lives through design, Helsinki embarked upon an ambitious program with an eye to the future well beyond its mandate. Preparation for the year-long hosting event provided an opportunity to explore fresh ideas and ways to stay relevant. Several innovative architectural projects were highlights of the year, including the Culture Sauna (Kultuurisauna) and The Chapel of Silence (Kampin kappeli).

Enjoying urban silence

Kultuurisauana, which opened its doors in 2013, is a zen-like minimalist structure on the Helsinki waterfront, designed by Tuomas Toivonen and his Japanese-born artist wife, Nene Tsuboi. The first public sauna to be built in Helsinki half a century, it was modelled after Alvar Aalto’s vision of a cultural sauna in the city. The single-level white building is supported by wooden beams and the candlelit interior is simply decorated and calming. A wood- pellet fired stove creates the perfect löyly or steam and large windows with views onto the sea instil a sense of wellness in the urban wilderness.

temple of serenity and simplicity

Kampin kappeli, designed by K2S Architects is a temple of serenity in the middle of the city. The whimsical, sphere-shaped, wooden chapel is ecumenical and offers a refuge from the the bustle of daily life and a chance for quiet contemplation. Light falls through openings in the ceiling and casts a magical glow over the winding timber interior. The natural environment and enveloping silence are an elixir for the soul and a reminder that nature is never very far away.

design district – in the heart of helsinki

The legacy of WDD 2012 lives on in the Finnish capital as the design- driven city seeks to find sustainable solutions for the future. Each fall Helsinki Design Week transforms the cityscape and design enthusiasts from all over the world gather to discuss new ideas and showcase the latest innovations in design. The designated Helsinki Design District is a vibrant and permanent hub of creativity in the heart of the city with over 200 participating design shops and studios, museums, galleries and cafes. Its prominence within the city is a testament to the vital role design plays in Finnish life and also a lens through which to understand Finnish society.

design as a way of (finnish) life

Design is a way of life here. It is about finding beauty in simplicity and enhancing everyday rituals with well-crafted objects and a deep connection to the living world. The timeless quality of Finnish design means nothing is ever too old and lends itself to a minimalist culture. Finns appreciate their design heritage and hold onto treasures from the past. While contemporary design is nurtured, it is also tempered with a respect for the planet. Anything new must serve a purpose and it is against this backdrop that the next wave of designers and architects are making their mark.

live slow, live happily

Working within a circular economy, in which zero waste is the ultimate goal, and the tenets of Slow Living — good, clean and fair — must be at the heart of the design process, present significant challenges. But Finland’s design legacy and love of nature make it a natural environmental steward in tandem with its quest for beauty.

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sustainable finnish design