The City becomes a stage for encounters – Helsinki Design Week 2026 launches an initiative to revitalize the city centre

6.8.2026 Text: Helsinki Design Weekly Images: Justus Hirvi

The ever-evolving urban festival Helsinki Design Week will take over the city centre from 28 August to 6 September with a diverse programme of events. The theme for 2026, The Oncoming Other, invites people to come together and share the city. At the same time, the festival launches a two-year collaboration with the City of Helsinki focused on the Aleksanterinkatu area, with the aim of making the city centre an even more vibrant stage for culture and urban life.

Instead of one central festival hub, Helsinki Design Week will be staged across a network of HDW Meeting Points located throughout central Helsinki. One of these is HDW Lab, a two-storey space at the corner of Kluuvikatu and Aleksanterinkatu dedicated to developing practical ideas for revitalizing the city centre.

Workshops held on the upper floor will bring together key stakeholders and decision-makers in urban development to explore new possibilities for ground-floor retail spaces and the public realm. The goal is to develop ideas that can be tested and integrated into the urban environment as part of Helsinki Design Week 2027.

From 1–4 September, the ground floor of HDW Lab will become a showcase for the future city centre. Each day will focus on a different theme, explored through expert talks, workshops and live demonstrations. Rather than presenting abstract discussions, the programme will offer visitors tangible examples of how street-level spaces could be used in the future.

“It is wonderful to see design take over the heart of Helsinki at the end of August, offering inspiring experiences centred on high-quality design and architecture. The City of Helsinki is delighted to partner with Helsinki Design Week in bringing this city festival to life and in helping create an even more vibrant city centre. The festival offers everyone an opportunity to experience the city centre from new perspectives,” says Daniel Sazonov, Mayor of Helsinki.

Alongside HDW Lab, a number of meeting points across the city centre will bring the festival to life. These locations will be announced in stages throughout August.

Marimekko and Futuro at Helsinki Design Week

What happens when two icons of Finnish design meet almost sixty years later?

Designed by Matti Suuronen in 1968, the Futuro House represented a bold vision of the future. During Helsinki Design Week, Futuro will land in the Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden in collaboration with Marimekko.

Led by American architectural heritage expert Jan van Dijs, the project brings one of Finland’s most visionary architectural works back into the spotlight. The installation celebrates Suuronen’s legacy while inviting visitors to reflect on how the building might respond to today’s needs, challenges and aspirations.

The interior of Futuro will be reimagined by Marimekko, presenting the brand’s interpretation of contemporary living and design. The result is a bold and imaginative installation that offers visitors a new way to experience the iconic building.

The interior features patterns created for Marimekko by Danish print designer Vibeke Rohland, developed during her year-long residency in the brand’s textile printing studio as part of Marimekko’s Artist in Residence programme.

Weekly article: An incredible tale of Finnish design lands in Kaisaniemi

Eteläranta 6

At the end of August, the Museum of Architecture and Design will open a new event and gathering space at Eteläranta 6. Together with its partners, the museum will host a programme of events in the space designed by Joanna Laajisto, inviting the public to discuss the role of architecture and design in shaping the city.

Throughout the construction of the new museum, Eteläranta 6 will offer visitors an opportunity to follow the site’s development. During Helsinki Design Week, the space will also host a dedicated festival programme.

You can find the latest updates on HDW Meeting Points here.

Festival events across Helsinki

The long-running Design Market (29–30 August) once again opens Helsinki Design Week at Kaapelitehdas’ Merikaapelihalli, where Finnish and Nordic designers present high-quality furniture, homeware, fashion and accessories.

This year, the event introduces the new Workshop Market, where visitors can learn practical creative skills directly from professionals.

Alongside the Design Market, HDW Children’s Design Week (29–30 August), held in Kaapelitehdas’ Turbiinisali, invites children and families to explore the creative industries through hands-on workshops and interactive activities. The programme is organized in collaboration with Aalto University Junior, the Arkki School of Architecture for Children and Youth, and Kulosaari Art School.

Open Studios (28 August and 4 September) offers a unique opportunity to experience the everyday work of designers, architects, artists and other creative professionals. On two Fridays, visitors are invited into some of Helsinki’s most inspiring studios and workspaces to meet practitioners and gain insight into how ideas develop into projects that shape the world around us.

The popular Design Diplomacy programme (2–4 September) celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The event opens the doors of ambassadors’ residences and brings together designers from different countries in open conversations. Instead of a moderator, discussions are guided by a specially designed card game that steers dialogue into unexpected and inspiring directions.

At the Embassy of Denmark, designer Ole Barslund and architect Tuomas Siitonen will meet in conversation. At the Embassy of France, textile and accessories designer Cécile Gayraud will be joined by Laura Väinölä, Marimekko’s Creative Director and multidisciplinary designer.

This year’s international PechaKucha Night (4 September) will take place at the House of Nobility. The event brings together creative professionals and audiences for an evening of inspiring presentations. Every speaker follows the classic 20 × 20 format: twenty images, each shown for twenty seconds. The fast-paced format creates concise, highly visual and engaging presentations covering subjects ranging from design and architecture to personal stories and unexpected phenomena.

Speakers include Genelec CEO Siamäk Naghian, musician Tapio Viitasaari, also known as Taidehaistelija, and Elina Niemistö, Visual Identity at Artek.

Alongside HDW Lab, a number of meeting points across the city centre will bring the festival to life. These locations will be announced in stages throughout August.

  • Registration and ticket sales for all Helsinki Design Week events open on 17 August.
  • Members of the press may apply for accreditation via the Helsinki Design Week accreditation form.
  • Images and press releases can be found here.
  • The Helsinki Design Week press event will take place on Friday, 28 August, at the Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden in collaboration with Marimekko. Invitations will be sent separately. 

    The City of Helsinki is the main partner of Helsinki Design Week.

    Media enquiries and interview requests:
    communications@helsinkidesignweek.com