Press Release:
Iittala & Arabia Design Centre opens its doors in Helsinki
The Iittala & Arabia Design Centre recently opened at the Arabia Center. It offers a diverse programme of activities for audiences with an interest in design. The design centre shop has also been revamped – it presents the extensive range of Iittala and Arabia products where they were originally created.
Iittala & Arabia Design Centre
The Design Centre tells the story of the brands and presents the expertise of today and of the future. The centre is located in Arabia, Helsinki, where the history of the brands has been made for more than 130 years and they continue to be developed with passion.
“We aim to offer interesting discussions and content in the field of design. Hopefully, the centre will also become a place that connects brands to the surrounding community and that people enjoy visiting. We are particularly hopeful that local residents will consider the place their own. There is a strong community in the area and we want to be part of it,” says Leni Valsta, SVP for Iittala and Arabia. The centre also offers interesting content for tourists. Arabia Center is one of Helsinki’s key tourist attractions, particularly for visitors from Asia.
A centre shared by several parties
The legendary ninth floor continues to host close collaboration between partners. The Arabia Art Department Society’s artists continue to create unique ceramics and short series on the premises and visitors are now able to go and see them at work. Design Museum Arabia tells the story of Finnish ceramics and glass. ”The completely renovated and spacious exhibition area is designed as a total experience. The history of glass and ceramics is described with themes and a timeline, without forgetting our youngest visitors”, says curator Katarina Siltavuori, responsible for the exhibition at Design Museum.
Events all year round
Galleria Arabia is transformed into a Design Lab, an event space that strives to embody an experimental spirit. The space is open for everyone to visit, gain inspiration and get involved. Until the end of January, the Design Lab will be showing Harri Koskinen‘s optical coloured glass experiments and Ville Andersson‘s graphics for Arabia’s most popular shapes. Ville Andersson, the Young Artist of the Year in 2015, has also designed a pattern for the design centre mug. The Clouds mug is only available at the centre’s shop.
Design Centre Manager Päivi Niemi is responsible for the programme of events and content at the design centre. Visit the design centre’s website at www.designcentrehelsinki.com for the latest news and the calendar of events in 2017. The design centre is also on social media (Facebook and Instagram: designcentrehelsinki)
The Iittala & Arabia Design Centre is a natural addition to Fiskars Group’s list of visitor attractions. Iittala’s factory, located on the glass hill in Hämeenlinna, Finland, invites visitors to observe glassblowing, while Fiskars Village offers the opportunity to find out about the company’s roots.
The Design Centre’s opening times are:
Iittala & Arabia Design Centre shop
Mon–Fri 10:00am–8:00pm
Sat 10:00am–4:00pm
Sun 10:00am–4:00pm
Design Centre (9th floor)
Tue, Thu, Fri midday–6:00pm
Wed midday–8:00pm
Sat–Sun 10:00am–4:00pm
Address: Arabia135, Hämeentie 135 A, Helsinki, Finland
Further Press Information:
Araminta Lawrie / Lizzie Colville, Caro Communications
T: +44(0)20 7713 9388
E: araminta@carocommunications.com / lizzie@carocommunications.com