Interior Architect Maija Heikinheimo (1908-1963) worked almost the whole of her career in the service of Artek, initially as Aino Aalto’s close working partner and, after she passed away, as Chief Designer and Artistic Director.

Heikinheimo was an extremely skilled, but modest designer, who worked anonymously. She developed into a brilliant interpreter of Alvar Aalto’s ideas, and is said to have understood Aalto’s intentions from the slightest hint. Alongside new models of furniture it was on Heikinheimo’s drawing board that furniture was created, including variations on the architect’s earlier innovations.

Heikinheimo and Aalto worked closely together on the construction project for Säynätsalo Town Hall at the start of the 1950s. Aalto created the building’s unique architecture, which Heikinheimo complemented with perfectly suited furniture and interior elements.

The exhibition put together in the gallery at Säynätsalo Town Hall tells us is about the building’s interior design solutions and opens up Heikinheimo’s work at Artek. On display here are her furniture and interior drawings made with her eloquent signature style, and some examples of furniture and small objects. Material samples related to the designer’s toolbox make it clear, for example, how “Heikinheimo blue” was defined in Artek’s colour palette.

The exhibition has been produced by the Alvar Aalto Foundation.