From the colorful prints of Marimekko to Ittala glassware and the functional Artek furniture, Finland is not short of leading names in the world of design.
The Nordic nation is a major destination for anyone interested in art and design, and there’s no better place to discover the details than the Finnish capital and UNESCO city of design, Helsinki.
A European city of design
While the city of Helsinki itself is quite compact, almost half of Finland’s 5.5 million residents live in and around the capital region.
In 2014, Helsinki became the first Nordic city to be designated a UNESCO Design City. Part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, the Design City designation recognizes Helsinki’s design-focused cultural landscape, design schools and design-driven creative industries.