PechaKucha Night

Something which Jan van Dijs, American designer, knows all too well. van Dijs with his company JR van Dijs focuses on historical rehabilitation. Work that is, according to van Dijs, a combination of passion and opportunity which began in Los Angeles among restoration of mid-century properties.

In 2017, van Dijs was honored as Preservationist of the Year, highlighting a long career in maintaining and restoring City of California’s Long Beach’s most treasured structures.

Graduated from Waseda University School of Commerce and Boston University Graduate School majoring in Journalism. After working at Kao Corporation, Hayashi founded Loftwork in 2000. After retiring, she established Q0, Inc. on September 9, 2022 with the aim of “creating a new relationship between rural areas and cities. Based in Hokkaido, Akita, and other regions, the company plans and implements collaborations and projects with local businesses and creative leaders, aiming to create designs for “inherited regions” that will represent the times. Hayashi is a member of the Good Design Awards Screening Committee, METI’s Industrial Construction Council Manufacturing Industry Subcommittee “Study Group on Competitiveness and Design”, and a chairman of Hidakuma that aims to up-cycle the resources into a form of regional value through the utilization of digital fabrication and technology.

Elina Niemistö is a creative director, brand strategist, and visual designer. She is in charge of visual identity at Artek, one of Finland’s most internationally recognized design brands. Throughout her career, Elina has worked at the intersection of design, culture, and business, shaping brands through visual communication. Her work has been recognised with several leading Finnish and international creative awards. Elina’s approach to design and creativity is shaped by her love of materials, craftsmanship, and making things by hand.

Titus Poutanen is a filmmaker based in Helsinki, Finland. Titus “Le Jaque du tout travaille” grew up without a TV but ended up working in media. In 2017 he started his own production company Clayhill. Beside his work behind and in front of the camera Titus has been acting on the stages of Svenska Teatern in Helsinki to Dramaten in Stockholm. In 2019 Titus started Helsingin Kalsaritehdas with his wife Ellen Rajala and fellow fashion designer Sini Saavala. Since the beginning of 2026 you can hear Titus’ voice on the morning radio at Radio X3M Yle. Titus’ latest project, a cyclone dustcollector for his woodworkshop was finished early spring 2026, strangely enough it worked. Titus is a big fan of laughing.

Eevi Rutanen is an artist and educator, who uses programming and electronics as creative modes of expression. In her artistic work, Eevi examines the relationship between gender and technology by imagining soft, absurd alternatives for the cold logic of hard tech. Eevi teaches Creative Computation at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture and also frequents as a lecturer in other institutions. Eevi’s goal is to make the discourses around computer science and engineering more diverse and approachable for a wider audience.

Laura Styyra is a Helsinki-based restaurateur who divides her work between three ventures: Kuurnan Kasvispuoti, Finland’s only restaurant-owned organic and biodynamic vegetable shop; Wine Bar Klaava, named Wine Bar of the Year 2025 by Viinilehti; and Restaurant Kuurna, which after 21 years still remains at the forefront of Finland’s seasonal bistro scene.

Laura is dedicated to modernizing restaurant industry’s employee experience in order for Helsinki to achieve a more sustainable and lively restaurant scene in the future. She is enthusiastic about staying curious throughout life and discovering what hospitality can be in its most authentic form.

Jani Toivola is a writer, actor and performer based in Helsinki, Finland. He served as an MP from 2011 to 2019. He is the first black member of the Finnish Parliament and continues to work on a number of diversity and inclusion related projects for both public and private sector clients. He is the artistic director of TOIVOLA-festival and hosts he’s own podcast -About love. Toivola is a proud father of a 12-year old. 

Tapio Viitasaari is a musician and composer from Helsinki who works both with music acts (e.g. Haudan takaa, Vesta, AHO) and orchestration work. Viitasaari’s background as a pedagogue is reflected in his interest in shared and collaborative music making and experiencing. Viitasaari also runs an art acquisition service called Taidehaistelija.