Finnish Design Shop’s Design Disco 2026: Vitra, visuals and a very good party
Design Disco was held at Bio Rex, right in the heart of Helsinki’s city center.
DESIGN DISCO has become one of the most anticipated nights on Helsinki's autumn design calendar. It’s an invite-only gathering hosted by Finnish Design Shop each year with a different partner brand. This year, that partner was Vitra, and the results were, by several accounts, the best party of the week.
Verner Panton’s iconic chairs for Vitra charmed guests both indoors and out on the terrace.
Held at Bio Rex in Lasipalatsi, right in the heart of Helsinki, the venue was furnished with Verner Panton’s iconic chairs for Vitra, filling both the main room and the expansive terrace. Helsinki-based video artist Irene Suosalo transformed the space with her signature animated visuals, projected across the walls and glowing out through Bio Rex’s floor-to-ceiling windows for passersby to catch a glimpse. DJs Maria Wesander and Ocean People kept the energy high back to back, while cans of Olvi’s Hard Seltzers kept things moving.
Partners, stakeholders, Trade & Contract Sales clients, press and designers from across the industry filled the room, all part of the creative crowd that makes Design Disco what it is.
One long table was set for the lunch.
The Panton Chair is one of the most iconic classics in furniture design.
The vegan menu was Jessica Sorsakari’s creation.
The Cone Chair is a Verner Panton classic from 1958.
Kaarina Gould interviewed artist Irene Suosalo.
Suosalo’s visuals filled the space with color as evening fell.
Earlier that day, an intimate lunch brought together invited guests and international press in the same space, with welcome words from Noora Tirkkonen, Managing Director of Finnish Design Shop, and Michaela von Wendt, Market Leader Finland at Vitra. The vegan menu was conceptualized by chef Jessica Sorsakari, who works at KBC and Sommar in Turku and will soon open a new restaurant at the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum. Over lunch, Kaarina Gould, CEO of the Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design, talked with Irene Suosalo about her work, ahead of the night when that work would take over the room.
A huge thank you to everyone who made the evening what it was: our partners at Vitra, Irene Suosalo, Olvi, the team at Lasipalatsi, the DJs, and every guest who showed up ready to dance.
Here’s a look at how the night unfolded!
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Published on 7 Sep, 2026
