Helsinki Design District: the home of timeless
Finnish design

“Here you step directly into the urban and lively heart of the city, right from your doorstep. We have great, high-quality restaurants with a relaxed atmosphere and a lot of interesting designer shops to get inspired in, like VIMMA Store! Some must-visit restaurants are definitely BasBas Kulma, and the trendy cocktail bar Bob’s laundry. You can even wash your actual laundry there, if you want. On sweet days, our family’s routine is to pick up a bag of fresh, handpicked candies from Roobertin Herkku. The district is full of life – as well as safe and tidy.”

Milla

Local Helsinkian

Kasarmintori square statue

Design. Design. Design.

Design District was created as part of Finland’s Design Year celebration in 2005. Over
the years, this cradle of craftsmanship has attracted a multitude of creators, and today,
modern design and innovation bloom hand in hand with vintage and antique. The
streets are lined with shops from smaller individual businesses and big international
brands, all the unique designer goodies ready to be explored and admired – it’s just a
beautiful place to lose track of time in!

If you’re short on time and the number of options sounds intimidating (we do have many
stores here), try some of the bigger clusters that are easy to get around, like a charming
and historic Torikorttelit quarter or a modern Kämp Galleria shopping centre that has
collected a huge number of brands under the same roof.

For some lighter exploring, showrooms like Lovia Collection and Eero Aarnio Design might be to your taste. And if you hope to pop in just a couple of individual stores, VIMMA Store and Johanna Gullichen flagship store are an excellent combination of clever and climate-friendly, as are the various antique stores scattered all around the district. For something extra unique, try Little Teddy Shop for one of the biggest teddy bear selections in the country, Roobertin Herkku candy store with hundreds of different treats, and Rolling Cheese Viiskulma will take care of your stinky but, oh, so delicious souvenirs. Here you can discover modern surprises and classics of the timeless Finnish design.

Photo Karoliina Bärlund
Women shopping at the Glasshouse Helsinki at Helsinki Design District

The art of architecture

The beauty of Helsinki Design District is not limited inside the designer stores. Wander around or take a guided walking tour through the district and rest your eyes on some of its
impressive architecture. The area has a striking variety of older architecture – from new
Renaissance revival and art nouveau all the way to postmodern and functionalist – as
well as modern buildings and urban parks.

St. John’s Church – or Johanneksenkirkko in Finnish – is among the most beautiful
churches in the city in its gothic revival style. Helsinki Old Church is more modest,
neoclassical style, but is still quite a sight at the side of the Old Church Park – or as the
locals call it, Ruttopuisto, ‘the plague park’, the nickname originating all the way to 1710
when the plague victims were buried next to the church. Despite its eerie history, the
park is a popular hangout place and widely liked among the locals.

Some other must-see treats are the atelier and home of a famous writer and artist Tove
Jansson (spot the memorial plate at Ullanlinnankatu!), as well as the Rikhardinkatu
Library, a gorgeous library from 1881 that houses works of art on top of books and has
periodically changing exhibitions on each floor. And don’t forget to visit the most iconic
park of Helsinki, Esplanade Park, a local crowd favourite in all seasons for over 200
years!

Photo Anders Husa & Kaitlin Orr
Coffee at Kaffa Roastery in the heart of Helsinki Design District

Design

Architecture

Photo Shoot Hayley
Couple passing the flat-iron house in Eira district, part of Helsinki Design District

Gorgeous galleries, magical museums

Continue your spin in the wings of history by visiting Design District’s prestige museum
duo: an internationally recognised Design Museum Helsinki that specialises in Finnish
design, and The Museum of Finnish Architecture, one of the oldest museums in the
world that specialises in architecture (specifically the Finnish one, of course). It’s also
good to remember that, on top of design, the district is all about art and has attracted artists across the country. The multiple art ateliers and galleries are a testament to just
how nurturing the area is for creative hearts and imagination.

The best way to get emerged into the Helsinki Design District art scene is the guided Downtown Gallery Tour (Kantakaupungin galleriakierros). The tour takes you around four
exhibitions, always starting from the hosting photography gallery Hippolyte, and
continues with a rotating selection of some of the district’s leading galleries, like
tm•gallery, Sinne, Gallery G, and Galleria Sculptor. Outside the tour, some great
locations to visit are Uniarts Helsinki’s student and alumni gallery Kuva/Tila, the
exhibition and event space Luonnos, and the art and design gallery Lokal Gallery (you
can even purchase your favourite pieces there).

Photo Mariia Kauppi
Jugend architecture in Helsinki

Get creating!

After getting inspired at the galleries, your fingers might itch to create something of your
own, and there’s the true beauty of Design District: you can. There are multiple
workshops that welcome you to experience the creative atmosphere hands-on and to
create your own pieces of or inspired by timeless Finnish design under the guidance of the
masters of the craft.
 
At Colour Box, you get to have a break from the everyday business and fatigue by
making themed clay sculptures. Paja Design is a jewellery hub where you get to book
your own workshop for creating leather or silver accessories or have a lovely date
making silver rings with your partner or a friend. For bag lovers, PIHKA Collection might
be a familiar brand for its international recognition (by none other than Vogue
Scandinavia, no biggie). In PIHKA workshops, you get to choose from two PIHKA bag
designs and make your new go-to leather bag that will walk with you for years to come.
None of the mentioned workshops require any prior experience – everyone is welcome!

A flavourful break with culinary crafts

All the brain-tickling visual fireworks might eventually make your stomach grumble. You
guessed it: the art of Helsinki Design District reaches the food as well. The area has plenty of restaurants and cafés, as well as cocktail bars, to wind down after the exciting times of
exploring the district.
 
For a lighter bite, try out the cosy cafés in the area for a steaming cup of Finnish coffee
with something a little nice and sweet. Café Esplanad is located in a grand spot right by
the Esplanad Park and is one of the most known cafés among Helsinkians. Bakerika’s
is a small café with a huge heart and incredible cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and other
treats handmade right behind the counter, and Round & Square serves the most popular vegan doughnuts in the city – with rotating flavours, of course, just to keep it interesting.
 
Green Hippo is a local lunch favourite, serving deliciously healthy food and serving a
wide range of dishes, and almost the entire menu is suited for vegetarians and vegans.
Pastis is a Parisian-style restaurant that serves an excellent lunch from Tuesdays to
Fridays, one of the best Saturday brunches in Helsinki. Other popular sit-down
restaurants are the vibrant vegetarian restaurant YesYesYes and restaurant Nolla,
which works with a zero-waste mentality.
 
Design District’s cocktails – and mocktails – are also works of art, and some of the best-
rated cocktail bars are located on the streets of the area. Liberty of Death has a monthly
changing drink list, always coming up with new twists as well as mastering the classic
all-time favourites. Wintergarden Bar’s innovative and award-winning cocktails are
crowned with delightful, custom-made glasses. And for a bit of fun, Trillby, Chadwick,
and Chihuahua Julep not only serve great drinks but also challenge you to find the door
and put your phone away in true speakeasy style!

Photo Anders Husa & Kaitlin Orr
Interior at Bar Bob's Laundry

Eat & Drink

Drink & Eat

Photo Svante Gullichsen
Yes Yes Yes restaurant

This district means business

Even if Helsinki Design District mostly consists of entrepreneurs and small businesses,
it’s important to note that the area has been steadily growing. Finnish design is highly
valued all over the world, and Helsinki has been leading its growth for almost two
decades – so much so that Unesco recognized Helsinki as City of Design in 2014 (we’re
still extremely proud). Ever since, Design District has been the heart and soul of Finnish
design and has solidified its position as not only Helsinki’s but entire Finland’s number
one timeless design attraction.
 
Design District’s location was deliberately chosen so that it would connect directly to the
city centre, making it easy to access both by public transport and walking. The northern
parts of the district are just 10 minutes away from the Helsinki Central Station by foot,
and its heart can be reached with a 15-minute tram ride.

The location has also ensured a great selection of accommodations – like Klaus K, Bob W Kaarti, GLO Hotel Art, and the previously mentioned Hotel St. George – that all exude the same design-forward and artsy vibe that is the essence of the whole district. The inspiration the area nurtures can also be implemented outside creative work. The area has excellent office spaces and co-working facilities for all sorts of needs; MOW and Workland Esplanadi are two of the most notable venues for shorter and longer stays.

Final thoughts: beauty is in the eye of the beholder (literally)

Helsinki Design District has everything that a creative mind might crave. The wonderful
community of creators invites everyone in and offers a multisensory art and design
experience unlike anywhere else in Helsinki. Here, Finnish design flourishes and gains
ever stronger footing on both national and international markets, especially climate-
friendly brands getting momentum from this hub of inspiration and innovation – this is
the home for future trailblazers of design.