The Ornamo Foundation has awarded grants to seven designers
Grants totaling €25,000 were awarded to support the work of Ornamo members in the fields of design and art.
Projects funded by grants emphasize ecological and eco-social design. Traditional domestic materials and craft techniques are given new forms, and new manufacturing methods are used to create design products that have less impact on the environment and to increase community spirit and share information with a wider audience by involving users.
The purpose of the Ornamo Foundation is to support and promote the work of Ornamo members in the fields of environmental design, interior architecture, industrial and service design, arts and crafts, ceramic art, clothing design, and textile art. Ornamo is Finland’s largest professional community of designers.
The Ornamo Foundation’s grants are funded by donations and bequests to the foundation. Grants from the general fund consist of numerous donations from designers such as Hannu Kähönen, Marja Suna, and Ilmari Tapiovaara, as well as cultural figures Gerda and Salomo Wuorio. This year, for the first time, the IITTALA grant distributed from the general fund is targeted at material-based design and arts and crafts. In addition, grants were distributed from the Mirja Tissari and Eva and Maija Taimi named funds.
This year, architect Sofie Hägerström and interior designer Tien Yi-Chiao received a €3,000 grant from the general fund. Fashion designer Marjut Uotila and industrial designer Jukka Jokinen received the €5,000 IITTALA grant. Textile artist Melissa Sammalvaara and interior architect Tatu Ahlroos received a €3,000 grant from the Eva and Maija Taimi Fund. Textile artist Milja Rummukainen received a €3,000 grant from the Mirja Tissari Fund.
Further information about the projects
Sofie Hägerström : Combining architecture and ceramics.
Domestic red clay, architecture, and traditional manufacturing methods are given new opportunities and new forms in this project. Hägerström is an architect with extensive experience working with clay. This combination creates a fresh new perspective.
Tien Yi-Chiao: Circular Aesthetics: Developing Material-driven TEX-Lamps and A Sheet of Table for Global Launch.
An interesting project involving two simultaneous projects, in which paper lampshade lamps and tables made of composite materials are produced in a material-efficient manner. Both projects explore how striving for ecological efficiency in material and structural choices inspires aesthetic and functional solutions.
Marjut Uotila: Unique clothing “Lemminkäinen’s Mother” for implementation and storytelling.
A series of unique clothing items, created using plant dyeing and hand embroidery techniques. The concept of the project aims to increase the emotional value of clothing and the sense of community among users, as well as to create a new way of consuming fashion. Uotila’s work is strongly material-driven and combines arts and crafts with design.
Jukka Jokinen: New types of sustainable and ecological design furniture for public outdoor spaces made from low-carbon 3D-printed concrete.
A project focusing on cutting-edge manufacturing technology that significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions and material consumption compared to traditional casting techniques. Concrete is widely used and has a high environmental impact, so the project is also significant in a broader context.
Melissa Sammalvaara: Material costs for modern ryijy sculptures.
Sammalvaara’s art has a clear and recognizable design language that
combines a deep understanding of materials with the continuous development of her own working methods
Tatu Ahlroos: Interior architects SIO and the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) are collaborating on the marketing, organizational costs, and communications for an international seminar to be held in Helsinki in 2026.
Milja Rummukainen: A research project on natural dyes obtained from plants and mushrooms in the Pirkanmaa region.
Documenting and sharing artistic research via Instagram raises awareness of the possibilities of plant dyeing among a wider audience and opens up the different stages of the process to people outside the field. The project promotes ecologically and socially sustainable practices. In the age of digitalization, Rummukainen’s work also highlights the importance of connecting with nature—a value that should be cherished.
Who decided on the grants?
The Ornamo Foundation’s grants were decided by various committees. The scholarship committee appointed by the foundation’s board selected the recipients of the General Fund grants. This year, the committee consisted of ceramic artist Kristiina Riska, glass designer Jukka Isotalo, textile designer Teija Vartiainen, and designer Arni Aromaa. The recipients of the Eva and Maija Taimi Fund grants were decided by the boards of the Interior Architects SIO ry and Textile Artists TEXO ry. The recipients of the Mirja Tissari Fund grants were also decided by the board of Textile Artists TEXO.