Helsinki Design Week begins – explore the architecture highlights of the festival

The urban festival of design and architecture, Helsinki Design Week, returns this September with events taking place all around the city. This year’s main venue is Suomitalo, a commercial building completed in 1911 and located in the heart of Helsinki next to the Old Church Park. The building's façades were designed by architect Armas Lindgren, with floor plans by Onni Tarjanne. Built from red granite from Kökar, Suomitalo is a fine example of late National Romanticism architecture.

This year's theme, Celebration, invites us to consider conscious moments of pause – times to reflect on achievements or milestones and, most importantly, to express hopes for the future. The theme is also reflected in the international main exhibition hosted at Suomitalo. Designing Happiness is curated by curator, researcher, and educator Anniina Koivu, and features works by Eero Aarnio, Erwan Bouroullec, Oiva Toikka, and Clara von Zweigbergk, among others. Read more about the main event here.

Beyond the main event, the festival spreads across the city – we've picked out the highlights for architecture enthusiasts! All of the events featured on the list will be held in English or are otherwise suitable for English-speaking visitors.

Discussions

Paul Couch, Field Studies: A Conversation on an Elusive Australian Architect
9.9. at 18:00
Kulttuurisauna Public Sauna - Hakaniemenranta 17

Join us for this special event at Helsinki Design Week, celebrating the release of Paul Couch, Field Studies—the first in-depth publication on one of Australia’s most significant and elusive architects. 

The evening will open with a panel discussion featuring renowned Finnish architectural theorist Juhani Pallasmaa, acclaimed Australian architectural photographer Tom Ross, and Australian architect James Mugavin—who are also the co-authors of the book. Together, they will explore Couch’s legacy, his distinctive architectural language, and the core themes captured in the book, including materiality, landscape, and an architecture of just enough—all deeply rooted in the Australian context.

The event is free and open to all, no need to pre-register. Read more here.

Design Diplomacy
10.–12.9.

A firm favourite in the festival programme, Design Diplomacy opens the doors in September to places few ever access: ambassadors’ residences.

In an international context, openness and interaction are paramount. Design Diplomacy offers designers the chance to meet colleagues from around the world—and chat informally over a card game. And everyone is invited to follow the conversation. Participating are the embassies of the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Ireland, and Iceland.

Read more and register through this link.

Talking Happiness: Symposium
11.9. at 14–19
Lönnrotinkatu 5

Can happiness be designed? That is also the question we’ll explore at the Happiness symposium. Together with four notable speakers, we’ll look into what makes cities, communities, customers – and ultimately people – happier. 

Joining the discussion are Scottish-born urbanist David Sim, Superflex co-founder Bjørnstjerne Christiansen, clinical psychologist and researcher Jennifer De Paola, and designer Isabel Gibson of the duo Isabel & Helen. The conversation will be moderated by Oli Stratford, editor-in-chief of Disegno magazine.

Read more and get your tickets through this link.

PechaKucha Night
12.9. klo 19–21
Vanha Kirkko, Lönnrotinkatu 6

20 images, each shown for 20 seconds—that’s ten bursts of surprising and captivating presentations, lasting a total of 6 minutes 40 seconds. PechaKucha has been part of the HDW programme from the start, covering topics as diverse as spas, traffic signs, structural racism, drumming, seaweed and bridge engineering.

In September, PechaKucha Night will be held at the Old Church, next to the main venue Suomitalo. Speakers include Irene Suosalo, Sanna Mander, Marko Ahtisaari, Ari Heinilä, Björk Hijoort and Mika Johnson. All presentations will be in English.

Read more and get your tickets through this link.

Open doors and guided tours

Architecture & Design Museum at Helsinki Design Week
5.–14.9.
Korkeavuorenkatu 23

The Architecture and Design Museum’s Helsinki Design Week program includes daily walking tours and guided visits. The walking tours explore, for example, the architecture of both historical and modern Helsinki, as well as 1970s Vuosaari. The museum’s guided tours offer a deeper dive into the exhibitions on display at the Architecture and Design Museum.

See all the tours and their shcedules through this link.

Open House Helsinki 2025
11.–14.9.

Open House Helsinki will once again open doors to places you can’t normally go to! This year Open House Helsinki will open doors to Helsinki’s beaches, terraces and towers – the theme of the event is ‘Horizon’. 

See the full programme and register through this link.

Open House: An inside look at Helsinki decision-making at the City Hall
13.9.
Pohjoisesplanadi 11–13

The Helsinki City Council celebrates its 150th anniversary this year. In honour of this landmark, the City of Helsinki is arranging an Open House at City Hall on Saturday, 13 September.

The tour will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the historical building and how local government works. The Open House event will allow visitors to tour the building’s premises and learn more about its architectural features and artwork. In addition, the tour will also highlight the city’s decision-making processes and the history of the Helsinki City Council and the City Hall buildings.

The event is open to all and free of cost. Read more through this link.

Exhibitions

Aalto ARTS Grad Show 2025
4.9.–6.10.
VÄRE, Otaniementie 14

The Aalto ARTS Grad Show brings together projects by graduating students from across Aalto University's School of Arts, Design and Architecture. The works cover a broad range of topics, from imagining possible futures, offering critiques on our current reality to showcasing exceptional craftmanship. Aalto ARTS students are asking: what is design, architecture, art, art education, media art and cinema in 2025? How are these fields of expertise interacting with society? At best, what kind of a role could they play in the future?

Read more through this link.

Designs for a Cooler Planet
5.–14.9.
Marsio, Otakaari 2

Aalto University’s biggest annual exhibition, Designs for a Cooler Planet, showcases acts of change.

alto University’s annual exhibition showcases a selection of the most visionary and exciting cross-disciplinary work from our students and researchers. This year, the event dives into the newest experiments, prototypes and solutions in construction, health, and materials, among others.

The exhibition is free and open to all. Read more through this link.

Habitare
10.–14.9.
Messukeskus, Messuaukio 1

The leading furniture, design and interiors event in the Nordics gathers together both professionals, as well as interior decoration and design enthusiasts at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre from 10 to 14 September 2025.

The architecture-themed day will take place on 11 September as part of Habitare Pro, the professional section of the Nordic region’s leading furniture, design, and interior event. Archinfo has curated the day's programme. Read more about the Architecture Focus Day through this link.

See Helsinki Design Week's full programme through this link.