Joanna Laajisto brings classic and "lesser-known" Finnish design to Helsinki Airport lounge

Finnish airline Finnair has unveiled new lounge areas at Helsinki Airport, envisioned by local designer Joanna Laajisto to combine Nordic style and comfort.

Laajisto led the conversion of the airport's former congress centre to give Finnair a more generous lounge offering for first- and business-class travellers flying within the border-free Schengen Area.

Her scheme showcases Finnish designers and brands from past and present alongside others across the Nordics, aiming to create a sense of understated luxury.

"Today's luxury is about functional and calming spaces where you can spend a moment surrounded by understated, elegant design," said Laajisto.

"Our goal was to create spaces that allow travellers to relax and let their shoulders drop."

The palette combines soft shapes, a mix of warm tones and deeper colour shades, granite stone surfaces and plenty of natural wood.

Echoing the curved furniture, Laajisto designed new ceilings that take cues from aeroplane cabins, improving acoustics while offering a greater sense of intimacy.

"We introduced softness through shapes and materials to create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere," said Laajisto.

"We wanted to make the Finnair brand appear softer, so the white shade is warmer than the typical Finnair white and we introduced texture with fabrics, wall elements and Finnish stone," she told Dezeen.

The hand-carved wooden Traces table by Finnish designer-maker Antrei Hartikainen marks the entrance to the main lounge area, which is open to business class travellers and Finnair Plus Gold members.

A curved wall of iridescent tiles leads through to a more exclusive area for Platinum and Platinum Lumo cardholders, framed by heavy, sound-absorbing curtains. Both tiles and curtains match the deep blue tone of the Finnair logo.

The lounge is divided into three zones: an airy cafe serving food and drink, a casual living-room-style space filled with relaxed seating, plus a study and work area featuring soundproofed booths and bar seating.

Standout furniture pieces include Thomas Sandell's Goma bar chair designed by Finnish brand Made by Choice, Louise Liljencrantz's Margas LC2 lounge chair by Danish brand &Tradition and the Biennale stool by Kari Virtanen for Finnish brand Nikari.

The design also includes a series of Artek's 1960s Karuselli chairs, retained from the previous lounge, which were reupholstered to look as good as new.

"We wanted to introduce the lesser-known choices from Finnish design along with the classics," Laajisto said.

These are accompanied by lighting designs such as the 1950s Cobra wall lamp designed by Greta Magnusson and produced by Danish brand Gubi and the w163 Lampyre designed by Inga Sempé for Swedish brand Wästberg.

"We paid special attention to the lighting to make it soft and comfortable, but to provide light where it was needed," added the designer. "I believe a good ambience needs light and shadow in good balance."

Laajisto won the Finnair commission after topping a design competition held by the airline in 2023.

The designer has worked on numerous high-profile projects in Finland, including the Finnish Design Shop headquarters and the Helsinki store of fashion label Nanso.

Finnair previously revamped its lounges for non-Schengen flights, which opened in 2019.

The photography is by Mikko Ryhänen.

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