Perched on the edge of a rocky outcrop in Helsinki Harbour, overlooking the gothic spires of the Finnish capital, a new, swooping structure has recently taken residence. Titled the Wooden Design Hotel, this unexpected guest offers an elegant lesson in what best to do with wood.
See more of this Helsinki-based swooping wooden structure
Despite its deceptive title, the undulating wooden structure is in fact not really a hotel. More of a temporary housing prototype able to hold the occasional guest, the woody monument has been designed by Interior architect Pieta-Linda Auttila for timber merchants WISA, as part of a commission to reassert the architectural benefits of the material.
Constructed in Finnish pine, birch and spruce, the 'hotel' constitutes an angular wood-decked tube, which expands flatulently in the centre - curling off into billowing shapes before returning to uniformity at each end.
With two separate living quarters situated at both ends, and a central, shared atrium in the centre – everything from the benches to the beds are constructed in the ever-present Finnish pine, whilst walls and ceilings come coated in ethereal shades of Birch.
Rising out of the sea on its dark, stony island - the structure, in place until the end of September, is not designed to blend with the scenery. Built to bring wood back to the drawing board - we're wondering where it will end up next, any takers?
ADDRESS
WISA Wooden Design Hotel
Valkosaari
Helsinki
Finland
-
Tranquil and secluded, Lemaire’s new Tokyo flagship exudes a sense of homeIn Tokyo’s Ebisu neighbourhood, Lemaire’s tranquil new store sees the French brand take over a former 1960s home. Co-artistic directors Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran tell Wallpaper* more
-
‘I wanted to create a sanctuary’ – discover a nature-conscious take on Balinese architectureUmah Tsuki by Colvin Haven is an idyllic Balinese family home rooted in the island's crafts culture
-
‘Concrete Dreams’: rethinking Newcastle’s brutalist pastA new project and exhibition at the Farrell Centre in Newcastle revisits the radical urban ideas that changed Tyneside in the 1960s and 1970s
-
Helsinki’s Hotel Maria is marked by history and opulenceThe Hotel Maria sets out to redefine the Nordic hospitality landscape with luxurious interiors, in-room saunas and a sumptuous spa
-
Finnair marks a century of connecting horizonsFinnair celebrates its 100th anniversary with global festivities
-
Club culture and winter swimming: what to do in HelsinkiWhat to do in Helsinki – public saunas, an artful hotel and classic Finnish cuisine are all on our Helsinki tour, courtesy of Wallpaper* contributing editor Emma O'Kelly
-
Villa One at the One & Only Palmilla — Los Cabos, Mexico -
Escape the heat: beach huts to inspire your seaside stayBeach huts, small and large coastal cabins and holiday retreats across the globe dedicated to the adoration of the seaside, are here to stay; grab a deck chair and get inspired by some of the genre's finest
-
Twin Chilean cabins win Best Retreat: Wallpaper* Design Awards 2021Cabañas Maralto, a duo of holiday cabins in Chile designed by Croxatto & Opazo, scoop a Wallpaper* Design Award 2021
-
Martim — Wroclaw, Poland -
Tattersalls Hotel — Armidale, Australia
