In 1917, when the country declared its independence from Russia, there was a strong desire to explore and clear what it was to be Finnish. Architects and designers became nation-builders, tasked with giving shape to the new homes and public spaces that the country needed, as the economy grew and the once agricultural society began to industrialize. Their ambitious plan was social, optimistic and forward-looking, and democratic design emerged as a significant characteristic of the new country.
Many people found great opportunity and creative stimulus in Finland's transition into an independent modern nation, perhaps none more than the internationally famous architect Alvar Aalto. Over the course of his long career, he championed a revolutionary style of design that combined functionality with natural materials and organic forms. Aalto was a great ambassador（大使）for Finnish design at a time when Finns were thinking of how to present themselves to the rest of the world. When Aalto designed the Paimio Sanatorium in 1932, he applied his practical approach to the building and every piece of furniture within it to international approval. Soon after, he founded Artek, a design company that combines art and technology to bring about improvements in everyday urban life. Artek is a booming design brand today and the work of Aalto continues to be respected.
But while Aalto's useful elegance represents a certain Finnish sensibility, Finland is a country of conflicts, and one of its greatest is the disconnect between a characteristically shy national character and the brave innovators it has produced.
One such innovator is Armi Ratia, the energetic founder of Marimekko. Ratia founded the textile(纺织品）and fashion brand in 1951. Her ambition was to bring color and energy into the homes of the depressed postwar nation. Today it is hard to imagine the Finnish lifestyle without the energy of Marimekko. The brand was also symbolic of the equal role women played in Finnish society. Here they were leaders and innovators, creatives and commercial successes. Fashion designs were purposefully free and practical. Such was the interaction between the values of the brand and the values of the nation that spotting a Marimekko print on the street could be compared to seeing the Finnish flag flying.
