Helsinki Design Week 2013: the highlights

Design / 26 Sep 2013 / By By Maria Sobrino

Prototype lamps, by Sebastian Jansson, on show at Habitare design fair's 'Singular Pluralist' exhibition

Address: Helsinki Design Week
Katajanokanlaituri 5
00160 Helsinki

Little Finland punches above its weight class when it comes to contemporary design. To put things into perspective: Helsinki began hosting the Habitare design fair since 1970, 25 years before the birth of 100% Design and Maison et Objet.

This year Habitare anchored an entire week of events that swept up the city, from PechaKucha Night at the Savoy Theatre to a minimalistic sauna on Suomenlinna island designed by sculptor Harri Markkula. Still the show has grown in relevance along with the city.

With a focus on sustainable materials in the country's signature quirky shapes, the show delivered with a new EcoDesign section curated by Toshiyuki Kita; wood-cut products by Jouko Jarvisalo; storage by Matti Syrjälän; and the Trash Factory exhibition, featuring a monumental wood work by China's United Design Group.

Elsewhere, the cosy Helsinki Design Open showed a curated selection of homewares by a mostly female selection of creatives - Karin Widnäs, Susan Elo, Johanna Gullichsen - in Alvar Aalto's landmark Rautatalo marble courtyard. And home and garden supplier Fiskars showcased its new pavilion, a gallery-like space featuring art installations created with Fiskars' scissors and dishware.

'Piled Stone' candlesticks, also by Sebastian Jansson

Prototype 'Kapseli' lights by local designer Simo Serpola

'Lanka' bookstand, by Matti Syrjälän, for Mama Design

At the entrance of Habitare, designer Yrjö Kukkapuro has curated an exhibition of ecologically-minded designs, entitled 'EcoDesign', which includes 'LOG' lighting by Olli Mustikainen and Jari Nyman

A bookshelf by Leo Lindroos, part of EcoDesign

Wood vessels, by Simo Heikkila, at EcoDesign

Prototypes from the 'Mori' collection by Klaus Aalto, Anna Salonen and Saana Sipilä

New textiles by Monika Jarg of Tekstiilruumis

'Pi-No Pi-No' vases, by Maija Puoskari and Tuukka Tujula, at the Protoshop Design Forum

'Hattara' tables, by Fanni Suvila, at Protoshop

Also at Protoshop, Hanna Anonen's 'Ripsiraita' plastic carpet

'Ristiin' chair, by Katja Rouvinen, at Protoshop

At Habitare's Trash Factory pavilion, Shanghai's United Design Group (UDG) presented 'Shadows in Birch Forest'. The work was put together in situ by students from the School of Form in Poland

Finnish designer and sculptor Tapio Wirkkala's lights are shown together with classics by Alvar Aalto at the Artek stand

A close-up look at Wirkkala's lights for Artek

Mira Köymäri's sculpture at 'Trash Goes Architecture' won third place at the Habitare Design Competition in the category of 'Dream Space'

'Tukki' chairs, by Pro Armik, part of its Kainuu collection

The Helsinki Design Open was held in the Marble Hall of the Rautatalo building, an office block designed by Alvar Aalto in the 1950s

Inside, textiles by Finnish fabric designer Johanna Gullichsen

A rug by Milan-based Kristiina Lassus

Chairs by Finnish furniture company Nikari, created in collaboration with Jasper Morrison

'Tuisku' wood bowls, by Petri Vainio

'Valo' lights, by Susan Elo

At the Fiskars exhibition, held at the company's headquarters in a new pavilion designed by Pentagon, installations featured household products from the brand's range. 'Liuku' was created with 1300 of Iittala's votives

An installation of Iittala plates at the Fiskars pavilion

A precarious chandelier made of Fiskars' orange-handled scissors

Elsewhere, 'PET' lamps by Spanish designer Alvaro Catalan de Ocon were on show at the Old Customs Warehouse

Stoneware, by Ai Ono - who graduated this year from Aalto University's School of Arts, Design and Architecture - also at the Old Customs Warehouse

A model of the Wuxi Grand Theatre in China, by Shanghai-based PES-Architects. The building was completed in 2012

PES Architect's latest project, the Chengdu Icon Yunduan Tower, is due for completion in 2015

Also at the Old Customs Warehouse, the 'December-Tuoli chair', by Jasper Morrison and Wataro Kumano, for Nikari

'Dont' table lamps, by Juuso Andersin, a recent graduate from Helsinki's Metropolia University of Applied Sciences

'Laine' felt wall, by Anne Kyyro Quinn

The Finnish Design Shop pop-up at the Old Customs Warehouse

Address: Helsinki Design Week
Katajanokanlaituri 5
00160 Helsinki

Helsinki Design Week 2013: the highlights

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