Habitare 2020 to explore the art of living

The Habitare 2020 theme, Taito elää! - Art of living, is about enjoying the moment and embracing creativity and craft. The theme also highlights the 50-year history of Habitare. The exhibition design will be created by the designer Ilkka Suppanen. Habitare will be open at Messukeskus in Helsinki from 9 to 13 September 2020.

Finland’s largest furniture, design and interior decoration event turns 50. During its fifty-year run, one generation has grown up, numerous styles and trends have come and gone, and our world of values has been called into question. The digitalisation of society has influenced our lifestyles, but our basic needs have remained the same.

“The turn of a decade is a new beginning: a chance to stop and reflect on the direction in which we are moving. We are all concerned about how to live in a fair and equal manner in a time of climate crisis and rapid digitalisation. We want to make a positive impact on the environment, and many see the home as a space for political action”, say the designers behind the theme, the trend expert Antti Rimminen from Urban View, and the producer and cultural journalist Mia Dillemuth.

The visual identity of the Art of Living! theme combines a minimalist primitive aesthetic with the latest technology. The materials and colour scheme feature familiar natural elements.

“The theme Taito elää! - Art of Living, which we designed, is all about having an optimistic outlook on the future and a hands-on approach. We believe that, in the years to come, the importance of human factors and creativity will be emphasised when, with automation, machines take over the most routine tasks”, Rimminen and Dillemuth add.

Exhibition design by Ilkka Suppanen

The theme will also be reflected in the exhibition design, to be conceived by the designer Ilkka Suppanen. The exhibition design, entitled Siltatyömaa (‘Bridge Works’), will be built from wood, to comply with the concept of sustainable development. The underlying idea is that the exhibition structures could be used for as long as possible.

“The exhibition design has been inspired by the bridge construction sites that you see especially in the summer, with beautiful and light wooden structures. They have great structural beauty in them. Light shines through the roof of bridge construction structures in a special way, creating strips of light and shadow among the people. In the Nordic countries, architecture is often strict in form and full of straight lines, but light and shadow add a more playful element, creating a fun combination”, says Ilkka Suppanen about the idea behind the exhibition design.

Ilkka Suppanen is one of today’s most well-known Finnish designers, who is known for his light, forward-looking, and classic Scandinavian style.

More information:

Habitare: communications manager Eva Kiviranta, eva.kiviranta@messukeskus.com, tel. +358 40 775 6609

Habitare

Habitare, the largest furniture, design and interior decoration event in Finland, will be held at Messukeskus in Helsinki, from 9 to 13 September 2020. Habitare offers experiences and ideas on interior decoration, and on the functioning and look of homes and other spaces. Habitare highlights the ideas and works by a new generation of designers, and sparks discussion. In 2020, the 50-year-old Habitare celebrates the history of Finnish design and living. | www.habitare.fi | @HabitareFair | www.facebook.com/habitare | #habitare2020