Antti Hinkula

Antti Hinkula

Artek — The Colours of Paimio

Challenge

The Paimio sanatorium (opened in 1933) is a masterpiece of functionalism by Alvar and Aino Aalto. Set amidst pine forests outside the small town of Paimio in southwest Finland, the sanatorium was conceived as a ‘medical instrument’ dedicated to treating tuberculosis patients. To further the healing process, a remarkable array of colors was selected for its interiors.

 

To support the Paimio Sanatorium Foundation in its mission and to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the sanatorium’s opening, Artek released a celebratory Paimio Sanatorium Anniversary Collection. The glowing colors of sanatorium interiors inspired the new colorways of the company’s iconic products.

My studio was responsible for designing the visual communication concept for Artek’s campaign and the implementations needed in marketing and communication. In addition to the campaign, The Colours of Paimio exhibition took place at Artek’s flagship store in Helsinki in the summer of 2023. Alongside the campaign, we were responsible for the exhibition's graphic design.

Solution

Paimio Sanatorium has inspired numerous photographers to visit the site and capture the architecture and interior details of the building. To convey the uniqueness of the place, we built the visual communication concept of the campaign on photography. We searched and curated photographs from different photographers, including Fabrice Fouillet, Benjamin Gilbert, Addison Godel, Suvi Kesäläinen, Miemo Penttinen and Tuomas Uusheimo, which served as the foundation for the campaign's visual concept.

 

In the implementations, we play with Artek's product images and the photos taken at Paimio sanatorium, freely arranging them in a travelogue-like manner. The color palette is derived from architecture and interior design. The typography is Futura, Artek's brand font. 

 

The Colours of Paimio exhibition at Artek Helsinki was designed by Joanna Amemori and Artek’s team, with us being responsible for the graphic design part, which was based on the campaign colors and typography. For the windows, we got inspiration from the recognizable orange railing of the sanatorium's sun terrace.

My studio designed the visual identity for the project. The aim was to create positivity and hope during pandemic, and encourage people to act and support each other when getting through these challenging times.

The illustration-driven identity conveys the themes of caring, working together, and believing in a better future, by a rich and diverse library of pictograms drawn in different styles. 

Team:

Creative direction: Antti Hinkula

Design: Antti Hinkula, Matts Bjolin

© 2025 Antti Hinkula. All rights reserved.

© 2025 Antti Hinkula. All rights reserved.

© 2025 Antti Hinkula. All rights reserved.

Antti Hinkula

Antti Hinkula