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Sunila: The forest suburb that Aalto fans have discovered, too
On the southeastern coast of Finland, in the port town of Kotka, lies Sunila – the country’s first modern forest suburb, designed by Alvar and Aino Aalto. Built between the 1930s and 1950s, its homes originally housed workers from the nearby pulp mill. Today, they’ve also found a new kind of resident: architecture and design lovers with a soft spot for the Aaltos. Join us for a peek inside two design-minded Aalto homes!
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Alvar Aalto’s architecture joins the UNESCO World Heritage List
The Aalto Works series, comprising 13 sites designed by Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto, is Finland’s eighth addition to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Discover the newly inscribed World Heritage sites on Design Stories!
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Snøhetta plans a hotel and spa for the Aaltos’ Paimio Sanatorium
Paimio Sanatorium, one of the most iconic buildings in modern architecture, is set for a new future. Renowned Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta has developed a Masterplan for the sanatorium, completed in 1933 and located in Paimio, southwestern Finland – and the vision is as ambitious as the building itself.
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New life in a historic house
Few law firms can claim a home quite like this. Dittmar & Indrenius is headquartered in Helsinki's historic Grönqvist Building, and after a year-long renovation, the staff spaces have been given entirely new life. Come and take a look.
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Villa Skeppet: Alvar Aalto’s last private home is monumental yet intimate
Designed by Alvar Aalto, Villa Skeppet is located near the center of Ekenäs, Finland. Aalto designed the house in the late 1960s for his close friend, writer Göran Schildt, and Schildt’s wife, Christine. Villa Skeppet would become the last private home Aalto designed during his career.
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KOKO3 designs stunning new junior suites for Hanaholmen
The new junior suites at Hanaholmen hotel in Helsinki are designed by interior architect Jukka Halminen of KOKO3. Finnish Design Shop’s Trade & Contract Sales supplied part of the suites’ interior products.
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In the footsteps of the Aaltos: Pil Kallesø’s family home celebrates timeless design
Architect Pil Kallesø lives with her family in one of Jørn Utzon’s iconic Kingo Houses in Denmark. The couple’s love for Nordic architecture runs deep – so much so that last summer they toured Finland in search of Alvar and Aino Aalto’s most inspiring works. Their serene home, filled with Artek furniture and Johanna Gullichsen textiles, reflects that shared passion.
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Designed for life – the story of Reima’s new office
In Helsinki’s Vallila district, behind the historic walls of the old Kravattitehdas, Reima's new office celebrates the beauty of time, play, and patina. Step inside to see what happened when design studio Fyra and Finnish Design Shop's Trade & Contract Sales joined forces to create a space filled with character and an effortless sense of well-being.
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Pine Edge Villa: Where Swedish archipelago meets American modernism
Magician Jonas Ljung and his family built their dream home in the Stockholm archipelago. Featured on Grand Designs Sweden, the striking residence draws its quiet magic from the simplicity of its materials and colors – and from the bespoke built-in furniture crafted by Nordiska Kök.
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Design Stories is the online magazine of Finnish Design Shop, created to inspire and delight design lovers everywhere. We hope you enjoy exploring with us! Have a story tip or thoughts on our content? We’d love to hear from you.
