Marimekko village focuses on emotional quality of life

What could be a better time for realizing the plans of a Finnish design visionary than the year of the World Design Capital?

In 1962 Armi Ratia, the founder of Marimekko, defined Marimekko as ”a cultural phenomenon guiding the quality of living”. Her design philosophy invites people to come together by creating interesting encounters and encourages them to get inspired by colours and patterns in their everyday life.

In Armi’s utopia Marikylä (“Mari-village”) aims to house the staff and to function as a laboratory for product design and the development of new ways of life. Since the beginning, Marimekko has been fascinated by the everyday happiness of people, and the Marimekko Village is a chance to work together with people to make it happen. This year – when we celebrate the World Design Capital year of Marimekko’s home town Helsinki – Marimekko will bring to life the Marimekko Village of today.

“When envisioning what the Marimekko Village could be in 2012, we found that today a village no longer means only a physical living environment. Today villages exist in various forms – both in physical and digital – and it is always the people who make the village truly function.” says Minna Kemell-Kutvonen, Creative Director of Marimekko.

Events start in early 2012

The Marimekko Village of 2012 brings together people and doing, thinking and aesthetics. During the spring, the Marimekko Village events include an online collaboration initiative to honour the 100 years since the birth of the founder of Marimekko, Armi Ratia, the launch of the Marimekko Map of Helsinki and the designer Erja Hirvi’s Bökars Revival photo exhibition at the Marimekko Marikiska store in Helsinki. There will be family events and open house days, as well.

The Marimekko Village event calendar will be published online www.marimekko.com/marimekkovillage at the end of January and it will be continuously updated throughout 2012. The village will extend also abroad, and events will take place in, for example, New York and Tokyo.