HDW Meeting Points
Instead of one central festival hub, Helsinki Design Week will be staged across a network of HDW Meeting Points located throughout central Helsinki.
All HDW Meeting Points are free of charge for visitors.
Please note:
Due to their great popularity, HDW Meeting Points may occasionally be busy, so please be prepared to queue. We recommend arriving no later than 45 minutes before closing time.
On Thursday, 3 September, guided tours will take place at the Meeting Points from 4 pm onwards, which may result in even busier conditions at the locations.
Aalto 90 Pavilion
Address: Lyypekinlaituri, Eteläranta
Opening hours: 28 August to 6 September 2026 (closed Mon. 31 August) from 12 am until 6 pm
To mark the 90th anniversary of Alvar Aalto’s vase, Iittala and Hydro bring the Aalto 90 Pavilion to Helsinki Design Week: a seven-metre aluminium structure built from the vase’s silhouette.
Eteläranta 6’s first public event: panel discussion
Adress: Eteläranta 6
Monday, 31 August 2026, 4:00–5:00 PM
The first public event will bring together three experts who explore both the future and the past. They will discuss the role that a space and museum such as Eteläranta 6 can play as a forum for societal dialogue and, together with the audience, take an imaginative journey ten years into the future.
The discussion will be moderated by CEO and Urban Strategist Katja Lindroos. Joining her will be Aleksi Neuvonen, researcher at Demos Helsinki, and Carson Chan, Chief Curator responsible for content at the Museum of Architecture and Design. The discussion will be held in English.
Following the discussion, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the space until 6:00 PM.
HDW Lab
Address: Kluuvikatu 3
Opening hours: 2 September to 5 September 2026 from 12 until 7 pm
HDW Lab is 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 2–5 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.
Marimekko and Futuro at Helsinki Design Week
Adress: Kaisaniemen kasvitieteellinen puutarha, Kaisaniemenranta 2
Opening hours:
Fri–Sun, August 28–30, 11:00–18:00
Mon–Wed, August 31–September 2, 10:00–18:00
Thu–Sun, September 3–6, 11:00–18:00
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.
Wild Mushroom Bar by Sami Tallberg
Adress: Aleksanterinkatu 9
Opening hours: 2 September to 5 September 2026 from 12 pm until 7 pm
During Helsinki Design Week, the festival will explore practical ways of activating the city centre through exhibitions and events. HDW will demonstrate how the city centre can transform throughout the day and how seasonal food culture can create new reasons for people to gather.
Finland’s abundant autumn mushroom season provides a unique foundation for seasonal gastronomy. Together with chef Sami Tallberg, Helsinki Design Week will launch Helsinki’s first street restaurant dedicated entirely to wild mushrooms.
No reservations. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis.
HDW Meeting Points – Guided Tour on 3 September
Welcome to a free HDW Meeting Points tour!
The guided tour will take place on 3 September and lasts approximately 2.5 hours. Pre-registration needed.
GUIDED TOURS ARE FULLY BOOKED – REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED
