Helsinki’s Mayor: Importance of tourism and its connection to design

After many years in politics, Jussi Pajunen became Helsinki’s mayor in 2005. He is a member of the National Coalition Party and a former member of the City Council and the City Board as well as Chair of the City Board. Prior to entering politics he was the Managing Director and Chair of the Board of Edvard Pajunen Ltd.

Pajunen holds a BS and Master’s degree from the Helsinki School of Economics and an MBA from INSEAD (France) and holds an honorary doctorate from Aalto University School of Economics. Multi-lingual, he is fluent in Finnish, Swedish, English and French.

World Design Capital 2012

HEL’s Mayor Pajunen understands the importance of tourism and its connection to design and commits 3 percent of the city’s budget to cultural projects. With Jussi Pajunen’s leadership, Helsinki received global recognition as the World Design Capital in 2012. The project promotes and supports design in the social, cultural and economic development of cities. The winning Finnish proposal concept focused on: Open Helsinki-Embedding Design in Life through the three portals of Open City, Global Responsibility and Roots for Growth.

The award recognizes the large number of legendary Finnish designers and includes Tapio Wirkkala, Alvar and Aino Aalto, Timo Sarpaneva and Kaj Franck. Finnish greats have worked in glassware, crockery, furniture and architecture. In addition to the design history of the city, Helsinki continues to have a commitment to use design as a foundation for economic and cultural growth and competition.

Design Forward Increases Tourism

Pajunens’ tourism efforts are also evidenced by an increase in foreign tourism by 7.4 percent in February 2015. Growth markets are the USA, China, the UK, and Sweden. In February 2015, almost 60 percent of the rooms were occupied, a three percentage point increase over 2014, primarily in the leisure travel segment.

Tourism is important to Finland contributing 13.3 billion Euros to the economy in 2013. The travel industry employs 140,000 people, engages over 27,000 different enterprises and is twice the size of the agriculture industry. Helsinki is a trade, transport, communication and service center for the rest of Finland and neighboring countries.

Helsinki Means Design

From a global perspective, Helsinki has great design as part of its DNA. According to Manuel Saez of Fast Company, “Great designs are those that successfully balance beauty and function in the context they are going to be used.” It is part of Helsinki’s urban lifestyle and whether it shows up in architecture, fashion, interior design, furniture, fabrics or hotels and restaurants – the uniqueness and quality of design makes this city the appropriate destination for exploring a culture-based on good design.

• Jukka Savolainen, Director, Design Museum, Helsinki

The Design Museum is expertly and professionally directed by Jukka Savolainen who was formerly associated with the MAD Museum in New York as the Director of Research and Information Material. Savolainen holds a master’s degree in philosophy from Scotland’s St. Andrews University and is a candidate for a Doctorate at Kingston University [London] where his research focuses on the design of the national identities of Finland and England after World War II.

The Design Museum was founded in 1873 as the National Specialty Museum on Finnish Design, with the responsibility for collecting and preserving the history and development of Finnish Design. The museum is the official depository for design history. The permanent exhibit covers Finnish design from the late 19th century to the 21st century with a focus on high profiled Finnish designers as well as trendsetters from Finland, Scandinavian and international designers. designmuseum.fi

• Juulia Kauste. Director. Museum of Finish Architecture, Helsinki

Juulia Kauste received a BA in Art History from the University of Helsinki, Finland where she also studied Nordic Languages and Germanic Philology. She earned her MA degree from the New School of Social Research in New York where her focus was on urban sociology and art history with a specific interest in issues relating to urban architecture and multicultural spaces. Kaustes’ MS degree in Urban Studies is from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. She continued her education in the doctoral program at the New School of Social Research where her research is on the dynamics of multiculturalism in Paris and New York.

Formerly based in New York, she was an adjunct professor at Parsons New School, and the Executive Director of the Finnish Cultural Institute (197-2010). At the Institute she produced, curated and coordinated exhibitions in art, design and architecture including a project focusing on Eero Saarien Shaping the Future.

As the Director of the Museum of Finnish Architecture her organizational focus considers the role of architecture in contemporary society. Kauste has a particular interest in the development of Finnish wood architecture over the past 20 years. She finds that there is a renewed interest in this material and contemporary architects are reviewing its strengths and looking for methods that will adapt to 21st century demands. In Finland it is cost efficient to build with wood and new technology and methodologies enable its integration into modern structures and interior design

Kauste find that architects are working internationally with different cultures and this has opened new ways of understanding beliefs and values and how they are integrated into the built-environment in which they live and work. It has also become important to evaluate the space between buildings in order to create spatial integrity. mfa.fi

Helsinki Design Week

From September 3-13, 2015, Helsinki will celebrate Design Week exploring the concept of Time Machine. The program includes businesses that use design in their operations and look at ways in which design develops in ways that will meet the wants of needs of future consumers.

The main venue for the event is L3 Harbour Warehouse in Jatkasaari. The program is supported by the City of Helsinki and partners include LEGO, Aller Media, Metronewspaper, Tallink Silja, Lexus and Vepsalainen. helsinkidesignweek.com