Finland’s emerging designers are
steeped in a culture rich in history,
tradition, and innovation.
What if countries revered designers as national
heroes? You might get something resembling Finland,
a tiny enlightened state recognized for its quality
of life and economic dynamism, two reasons why it
(and its capital, Helsinki) seem to float to the top
of those addictive “best places” surveys. Alvar Aalto,
Kaj Franck, and Eliel and Eero Saarinen are as well-known to Finns as their Conan O’Brien–look-alike
president, Tarja Halonen. Indeed, the country’s
architecture and design pedigree has become an
integral part of its identity, and Finland has done its
best to foster successive generations of designers—
providing top-notch design educations and government funding to future Aaltos.
That system has produced a few stars in recent
years—Harri Koskinen and Ilkka Suppanen, to name
a couple—but there’s also a promising constellation
of Helsinki designers working below the radar. And
while some, such as Mikko Laakkonen, aspire to carry
the Aalto mantle, hewing to the modernist master’s
maxim of pure functionalism, others, such as Aamu
Song and Johan Olin, of Company, have cast off
tradition in favor of a more conceptual, whimsical
style. All, however, see themselves as part of a com-
munity, dedicated to raising the profile of Finnish
design, even if that means overcoming their innate
reluctance to market themselves. “Finns have many
character traits that make them great employees,
but not necessarily great entrepreneurs,” says
Mikael Silvanto, of the design collective Aivan!.
“We’re very averse to risk taking. And we’ve given
away too much manufacturing.”
Next year, in recognition of Helsinki’s serious,
comprehensive approach to design—from archi-
tecture and city planning to service design and
fashion—the city will be designated the World
Design Capital. To preview some of the up-and-
coming talents who will take part in the citywide
program of events, visit the Scenarios exhibition,
on view this month in New York’s Meatpacking
District during the International Contemporary
Furniture Fair.
