PHENOMENON: Artek

BETWEEN TWO AALTOS

Artek’s return to Keskuskatu is impressive. The two-floor bright and spacious showroom is a wonderful frame for the works of Alvar Aalto and other top designers. Do step in, you won’t leave in a while.

Artek’s new showroom is well-founded between two buildings designed by Alvar Aalto. To the left is Rautatalo (1954) and to the right is Kirjatalo, The Academic Bookstore (1969).
The two architects from the Swedish studio Koncept, Andreas Bozarth and Rasmus Baes, have designed the interior of the showroom.
Baes describes the spirit as contemporary culture meeting 30s modernism.
—Artek is such a strong brand and the previous store had been on the same location in Rautatalo for 25 years. For the new store our brief was to create an updated look but keep references back to the heritage roots. It took some design iterations before we found the right mix, Rasmus Baes continues.
Right. If you ask the people of Helsinki, the home of Artek is on Keskuskatu.