Helsinki will be the World Design Capital for 2012. In order to make Finland visible before the World Design Capital year, the city and Finnish design are already being displayed abroad.
Text Ida Kukkapuro
Photos Bernhard Ludewig, Perttu Saksa
Public peeing is part of a bigger stream that adds up to over 13 million euros annually. Every euro spent on maintenance could be transformed into other activities. How could we turn Helsinki from a pissoar into a cozy hobby space?
Text Antti Vassinen and Simo Vassinen
Photos Kaarle Hurtig
The European Commission’s Design Secretariat, located in Finland, is doing its part to find new ways of thinking to back up design.
Text Sirje Niitepõld
Photos Anna Kiuru
Design agency TSTO combines illustrative artistic expession with the practical mindset of graphic design.
Text Maiju Malk
Photos Kaarle Hurtig
This year the winner of the Habitare Design Competition will be selected by Alfredo Häberli. This year the theme of the Habitare Design Competition is recycled seating.
Habitare Fair, 1–5 September 2010, Helsinki Fair Center.
Design Market has grown to be the biggest design warehouse sale in the Nordic region. This year there will be over 70 companies selling their products.
Design Market at the Cable Factory, 28–29 August 2010.
Illustrator and graphic designer Lotta Nieminen received an inspiring illustration assignment. Her illustrations will be a part of Habitare’s visual look for the next three years.
Habitare fair runs from September 1–5, 2010 at the Helsinki Fair Centre.
The 3 Inch Canvas Exhibition brings art to mobile phone screens. The exhibition includes eleven artists with works ranging from watercolor paintings to poetry and interactive photography.
The 3 Inch Canvas Exhibition at Hub Helsinki on 31 August–4 September 2010
February 24–May 23, 2010
Art Museum Meilahti, Helsinki
Combining Finnish design and Chinese traditions, Elinno is slowly but surely making their way into the dining rooms of the world.
Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Juuso Noronkoski
Helsinki’s strategy for its year as World Design Capital could include a battle against zero-content terminology, says Helsinki-based designer-architect Bryan Boyer.
Text Simo Vassinen
Photos Kaarle Hurtig
The space-inspired Copenhagen Fashion Summit-winning collection of will act as a start for Saara Lepokorpi’s own commercial signature collection.
Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Liisa Valonen
“I Know Why No is going for aesthetic, beautiful decadence. I love making and designing knitwear, because the elasticity of knit garments makes them just experimental enough,” says fashion designer Aino Vainio.
Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Kaarle Hurtig
“I see myself as a material-based designer,” says Pisto’s designer Annika Rantala. “Even when I get an idea, I don’t get enthusiastic until I see the perfect material.”
Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Elina Simonen
Laitinen’s spring and summer 2010 collection’s materials are mostly digitally printed silk and cotton. Sweaters contain special Japanese thread that combines silk with stainless steel, for example.
Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Chris Vidal
Helsinki-based communications and marketing agency M4ID plans and executes campaigns for international development organizations. Their tool: social media.
Text Heini Lehtinen
Photos Vuokko Salo
Clear 
20X0 – A Journey into the Future
8. October 2011
Heureka – The Finnish Science Centre
Seven Connections – Finnish Architecture Abroad
11. January 2012
Museum of Finnish Architecture
Yellow City – Illustrated Stories from Helsinki
16. January 2012
All around the city
20. January 2012
Kiasma – Museum of Contemporary Art
DesignWorld – Designing the New World
27. January 2012
Design Museum
Bi-monthly magazine about Helsinki. In Finnish and in English.
