In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the Helsinki Design Week festival (5–14 September) will open the doors of Suomitalo. This historic commercial office building, completed in 1911, is located right in the heart of the city at Lönnrotinkatu 5, by the Old Church Park (Vanha kirkkopuisto). The event will feature the Designing Happiness main exhibition, a creative industries symposium, and many other design-themed events.
The main partner for Helsinki Design Week in 2025, Suomitalo, was completed in 1911. Today Suomitalo is owned by a fund that is managed by German asset manager DWS and managed by Newsec. The building’s façades were designed by architect Armas Lindgren, with the floor plans created by architect Onni Tarjanne. Built with Kökar red granite, Suomitalo is an example of late Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture.
“Helsinki Design Week opens the doors of Suomitalo (“Finland House”) in its anniversary year. It’s a great opportunity to reflect on what kind of Finland we are building. Our perspective focuses on the creative industries, which need international interaction, high-quality education, multidisciplinary thinking, and collaboration across various sectors to develop and grow,” says Kari Korkman, founder of HDW and CEO of Luovi Productions.
“Suomitalo is turning a new page in its story, and our task is to develop premium office spaces there. We are welcoming companies looking for new headquarters in this unique building. Designing spaces that support corporate culture is key for the future of Finnish office work, so it’s advantageous to have a creative forum such as Helsinki Design Week as a partner for Suomitalo,” says Jussi Kivitie, Director of Asset Management Services at Newsec.
Photo: Suomitalo
The theme for Helsinki Design Week 2025 is Celebration. Celebrations are moments to take pause, where achievements or milestones are reflected upon, and most importantly, wishes for the future are made. The Designing Happiness Main Exhibition, curated by Anniina Koivu, explores how happiness can be designed. How do design and architecture impact happiness? “By examining the entire spectrum of happiness—from special celebratory moments to everyday life, including balloons, fireworks, parades, community living, and general well-being—the exhibition invites visitors to reflect, get inspired, and perhaps become a little happier,” says Koivu. In March, Finland was named the world’s happiest country for the eighth time. There couldn’t be a more fitting building than Suomitalo for the Helsinki Design Week’s main exhibition.
Each year, the main venue for Helsinki Design Week offers a fresh perspective on the city and draws attention to the building selected for that year. After the festival, Suomitalo will undergo renovations. During the project development phase, ONE Architects and A-Insinöörit served as the design partners for Suomitalo.
“Helsinki Design Week provides an excellent starting point for the development of Suomitalo. At the same time, Suomitalo and its unique history offer the Nordic region’s largest design event, HDW, the fitting backdrop it deserves,” says Niko Penttinen, Head of Advisory & Transaction Services at CBRE Finland.
The design celebrations at Suomitalo will span ten days, featuring the main exhibition and a symposium, as well as a wide-ranging programme of discussions, launches, and other events for design professionals and city residents. There will also be a wine bar and dinner events.
Helsinki Design Week will take place from 5–14 September 2025. The Designing Happiness main exhibition will be located at Suomitalo, and an event programme will run at the venue during the festival period.
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