"Since its inception in February of 2006 Popot has quickly become a leader in the sneaker & street fashion business in Finland and a cultural phenomena appearing widely in the media with prevalent mentioning in tourist guides. [...] The success of POPOT (the word now synonymous with sneakers in the Finnish language in the Helsinki area), obviously, centers around the wide selection in sneakers and apparel of various brands with a choice of the latest, the hottest, most exclusive trends both in in-store range and on-line collection." (source)

Werklig made a small visual facelift for Popot, a Finnish sneaker retailer and a store. The first stage included redesigning the old Popot logo—more applications and photo examples will follow. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, go check out the new Popot store on Iso Roba 16 or surf to Popot webstore.

Another interesting theater event is coming up: "Meille jäävät salaisuudet" by Teatteri Siperia. Premiere is on August 21st, check out Teatteri Siperia website for more information (in Finnish).

"Kiitetyn ja palkitun Teatteri Siperian yhdestoista kantaesitys on täynnä poikkeuksellista tunnelmaa. Esitys yhdistää useita kerrontatapoja runollisesta fantasiasta koomiseen, sketsistä aforismiin. Kuvittelun voimalla Teatteri Siperian näyttelijät muuttavat, yhdessä yleisön kanssa, lyijykynän avaruusraketiksi!"

"KSV NIMA creates value for its customers by providing advanced, innovative instruments for thin film fabrication and characterisation, by constantly exchanging knowledge with its customers and through building open, trusting relationships with customers and partners."

KSV NIMA is the leading provider of instruments for thin film fabrication and characterization in research and development globally. Instruments made by KSV NIMA are being utilized in nanotechnology research, surface chemistry, surface physics, biophysics, colloidal research, biochemistry and materials development.

In 2010 KSV and NIMA joined forces as part of the Biolin Scientific group, uniting both product ranges under the new KSV NIMA brand. This required a new visual identity, too - and Werklig was chosen to do the job.

It was required to keep both Nima and KSV key elements visible also in the new identity. The new symbol for the company was created combining two key forms  - a circle (from Nima) and hexagon (from KSV). Transparency was used  in the symbol to create a sense of layers and films.

A full identity concept was provided, including company symbol and logo, typography, colours, website design and other main applications. 

KSV and NIMA logos (before) and the new KSV NIMA logo (after)

Lamberg & Ahonen 

Paris based Design Studio Ahonen & Lamberg will set up an one week Helsinki camp or more like a trendy pop-up office under our roof tomorrow. Anna and Katariina will work from Meritullintori from Wednesday 'til end of the month. It's Helsinki Design Week (identity) that brings our colleagues here.

We like to keep atmosphere vivid at Werklig: Variability to our every-day office life, stir it up a little bit. For fun. Sometimes it means just tiny actions like Thursday pea soup lunch moment with friends (With Tuipe), or summery sparkling wine & salad lunch at Werklig with invited Diagonal team.

Lately, instead of food-related activities we have had nice people working with/among us. Sharing thoughts, desk and internet connection: Interior designer Tiina Närkki from newly founded FYRA office and now we welcome Ahonen&Lamberg.

We see our office very multifunctional. Perfect for workshops and for example some kind of brunch discussions and even bigger brainstorming sessions, WDC events, release parties, movie premieres, dinners, mini seminars etc. The space inspires us to act and organize.

In addition to last year's house warming party and christmas porridge day i think we are now about to plan and concept a whole 'Werklig event concept'. Nothing dead serious and too logical, but I find us actively thinking about all the possible relevant, inspiring and motivating Werklig office space exploit opportunities. Like a therapy project. It's about work welfare and creative industries in all.

Newsweek's ranking, Living etc. Hel Yes! review, World Design Capital – One hot hot nation!   

And Pop ups has turned out to be permanent! Huge potential – Perfect for Design weeks, other relevant events and festivals, cheap to set up and can take advantage of shortterm leases to exploit particular retail opportunities. Pop-ups support this idea of more and more holistic brand experience. Experience, more important than a product.

Our Meritullintori habitué Antto has been busy at the Kuurna Office during the summer. On the go, saluting and smiling, full of energy – you can see it in his eyes – full of inspiration and driving force.

His latest project Hel Yes! is a temporary, pop-up restaurant by Finnish designers and food visionaires (lead by executive chef Antto Melasniemi) during London Design Festival in September. Dream creative team!

Very holistic style and taste experience of Finland, i guess. A must-visit restaurant for Werklig's hunter-gatherers! (sample menu here) 

Team (Photo via Hel Yes!) 

Helsinki-Tokyo based design studio Musuta has won a gold lion in Cannes in Design category. Congrats!

The winning piece, called "Urban Abstract", is "a journey across urban space that unfolds in forty, 5 second parts. The journey, in one, two and three dimensions, is a bit like abstract surfing in which the original destination is only reached after a number of seemingly random yet linked detours occur. Points, lines, planes and other abstract elements create a journey through an Urban Abstract." (quote from Musuta)

The piece was shown last November as break bumpers on Finnish TV channel Nelonen.

Check out the video here and set yourself on a laid-back Midsummer mood.  

Still screenshot taken from Musuta's "Urban Abstract" 

We are open. There will be always, even in July, someone at the office you can contact. Don't hesitate. Please, drop by, call or email.

Werklig summer holiday plan ↑

"Men’s month. – Basically life couldn’t get any better”

Midsummer – Hot topic at home: “What, there is no TV on that island?!” 

(Brazil – Portugal, 25th June, 5 pm) Panic.

As usually, and even in this case, after all, there really seem to be a possibility to find the bright side of things. Bright side of life. I, accidentally, as a result of very random googling and after browsing couple of FIFA-related pages, succeed to start to see this very strongly more as a women’s month. 

Personally I chose to follow following players for one month:

Tsuneyasu Miyanoto (Japan) Photo via Daily Telegraph



Claudio Marchisio (Italy) and Roque Santa Cruz (Paraguay)

Conor Casey (USA) and Marco Borriello (Italy)

Thierry Henry (France)

Mourad Meghni (Algeria) and Miguel Torres (Portugal)

AND of course Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden) Ok, he didn't not actually make it to the FIFA World Cup - but I'm sure he will be in South Africa....and still hot. The coolest.

At Balihai 

A couple of weeks ago I met mr. Du Qin and mr. Zhao Yu from well-known international Design 360^o magazine during their journalistic trip in Helsinki. That was their day 7/10 in Helsinki and already before our date they've had over 60 design-related meetings all over the metropolitan area! Including all the prestigious Finnish design institutes, corporate giants, the most interesting Helsinki based design agencies, collectives and illustrators.

That night their host Professor Tapio Vapaasalo from the Aalto University had convened a group of passionate people to have a get-together at Balihai and to discuss about the special sense of community you can feel in Helsinki among the small graphic design studios, design collectives and illustrators. Those vital vibes. 

Also, it's always very interesting to hear others' points of view and notes about Finnish design scene. Actually I found it VERY fascinating to spend some time thinking about our unique Finnish vibes and state of mind. Like update one's own mind every now and then in the best possible company according to topic (Kaarle Hurtig, Lotta Nieminen, Johannes Ekholm, Janine Rewell).

I'm really looking forward to see the coming soon Finland Design Issue for Design 360°. That was the reason of Sandu Publishing guys' Helsinki trip of course. Now let their minds and eyes browse over & over and inside out all their Helsinki materials – Books and notes, interview tapes and pics, they managed to carry home and create a killer issue about our creativity!

It's been really, really busy here at Werklig office, so haven't been able to do the "5+1" post for a couple of weeks. But now we're back in business.

1. "The recipient of the Young Designer of the Year 2010 was published on Tuesday, June 1st. The winners are two designer groups, Imu and Aivan!. The prize exhibition will open to the public on Wednesday 2 June." Read more at Design Forum Finland's website or at WDC2012 website. Congrats!

2. This is not that recent news, as the new site has been up and running for some time, but anyways: nice people at Kokoro&Moi have their new site up and running. Check it out!

3. Also a bit "old news" but always worth mentioning: kaarlekaarle.com. I suppose we haven't blogged Kaarle yet, so it's about time. Good stuff.

4. Now that we're talking about photographs, you may want to relax your mind and just flip through some inspirational pictures and more pictures (apparently there are some explicit pics, too, so you've been properly warned).

5. Pulpmag - "an online publication redefining how food is seen and presented in public".

+ BAP! KAPOW! ZLONK!