Hotel Torni, standing tall with its thirteen stories, has stood as a prominent city landmark in Helsinki since its establishment in 1931. A significant transformation took place in 2018 when the hotel underwent an extensive renovation, Fyra taking charge of the interior design for the restaurant, bars, and reception area.

Client
Sokotel

Location
Helsinki

Area
1657 m²

Year
2022

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Hospitality Design

Details

Background

Drawing inspiration from the iconic building’s rich history guided the forming of the design concept. The objective was to craft elements that are both unexpected and refined, while also paying homage to the building’s original architecture and historical significance. This endeavor has given rise to uniquely charming atmospheres within the bar and restaurant spaces.

The historical role of Torni as a gathering spot for numerous Finnish cultural influencers is echoed in the bohemian ambiance of the bars and restaurant. Running parallel to the renovation, an art project seamlessly integrated new artworks into Torni’s already impressive collection, blending diverse styles from various eras.

Strategy & Delivery

Located on the 13th floor of the hotel, accessible via a slender spiral staircase, rests the renowned Ateljee Bar. This establishment provides panoramic views in four distinct directions, granting a sweeping glimpse of Helsinki’s rooftops. As part of the renovation, the Ateljee Bar was expanded to the 12th floor’s cabinet area, now easily reachable via an elevator connection. This extension enhances the overall accessibility of the bar and augments its seating capacity.

In the design of the rooftop bar, materials were thoughtfully selected to complement rather than compete with the impressive views. The integration of mirrored surfaces was chosen to amplify these vistas, creating an environment where the surrounding scenery takes center stage.

Located at the ground level of the building, the restaurant OR introduces a captivating fusion of diverse styles interwoven with bold use of colors to establish a bohemian ambiance that places art at the forefront. The restoration of the American Bar to its initial position beneath the central dome of the hotel stands as a prominent achievement, with the contours of the new bar counter mirroring the dome’s architecture. Adding to the bar’s dark and sophisticated allure are the exquisite lamps designed by Paavo Tynell.

Team

Eva-Marie Eriksson

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
Hotels and Restaurants

eva-marie.eriksson@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 537 7350

Emma Keränen

Interior Architect
Designer

Silja Kantokorpi

Interior Architect
Designer

silja.kantokorpi@fyra.fi

+358 (0)44 031 0899

Bardem is a modern cocktail bar in the heart of Helsinki. The restaurant Penélope gets a new neighbor:  Bardem, a cool and casual cocktail bar specializing in mixed drinks.

Client
Bardem

Location
Helsinki

Area
95 m²

Year
2019

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Hospitality Design

Details

Background

When the restauranteurs behind Penélope, Hans Välimäki and Arto Rastas, decided to create a totally new concept in Helsinki, they turned to Fyra. And based on the visual identity created by Kallan & Co, we set out to create the perfect place for everything from celebrations to drinks after work. The result is Bardem – a totally unique bar that people love to visit and hate to leave.

Strategy & Delivery

The very first thing that needed doing was to transform the two-story space in Helsinki’s Epicenter building from a store into a restaurant, giving the surrounding offices, stores and other restaurants a classy yet not-at-all-uppity new neighbor. The idea was for the restaurant to literally center around a large bar featuring prominently-placed bottles.

The bar is meant to be an attention-grabber, allowing guests to relax and enjoy their own personal space. The dark ambiance and dim lighting provide protection from prying eyes. And the laidback vibe pulls guests in and provides a refuse from the hectic life of the outside world.

Bardem’s interior naturally combines the old with the new, creating a unique and laidback atmosphere. The recycled and reupholstered furniture and curtains create a soft and intimate acoustic environment throughout the entire space. Bardem is a modern-day speakeasy where nuances from the 80s all the way to today come together to create something totally new.

Team

Eva-Marie Eriksson

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
Hotels and Restaurants

eva-marie.eriksson@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 537 7350

Emma Keränen

Interior Architect
Designer

Laura Järvinen

Interior Architect SIO
Designer

laura.jarvinen@fyra.fi

+358 (0)50 523 7187

Ravintola Kappeli

Located in the very heart of Helsinki, restaurant Kappeli has served as a meeting place for Finnish poets, writers, and artists since its opening in 1867. Taking inspiration from the building’s original architecture and placing an emphasis on its unique cultural history created the foundation for the renovations in 2021, for which Fyra was responsible for the interior design concept.

Client
HOK-Elanto

Location
Helsinki

Year
2022

Partners
Helsinki City Museum

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Hospitality Design

Details

Background

The City Museum of Helsinki acted as a partner in the renovation of the protected property. During the process all the extra layers that had developed over time were removed and the space was adorned with a composed elegance that complemented its original character.

Delivery

Alongside fixed furniture a unique, quietly decorative Kappeli chair was designed to be used in both the restaurant and the café part of the premises. Art has played a pivotal role at Kappeli throughout its history. The emphasize the signifance of the unique art of Kappeli, the art pieces were repostioned during the renovation.

As well as emphasizing art, the lighting design sought to draw attention to the unique details of historic architecture. The restored Kappeli reflects the heritage and history of the property in a splendid, welcoming setting.

Team

Eva-Marie Eriksson

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
Hotels and Restaurants

eva-marie.eriksson@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 537 7350

Anu Latvala

Head of Concepts
Interior Architect

anu.latvala@fyra.fi

+358 (0)41 501 6405

Jasmin Wegelius

(on parental leave)
Interior Architect
Designer

jasmin.wegelius@fyra.fi

+358 (0)400 426 926

Silja Kantokorpi

Interior Architect
Designer

silja.kantokorpi@fyra.fi

+358 (0)44 031 0899

Restaurant Bardot by top chef Hans Välimäki and Arto Rastas in the Helsinki city center is focused on classic French cuisine.The interior is based on French bistro aesthetics and Brigitte Bardot – the idea was to create an uplifting and international restaurant interior.

Client
Bardot

Location
Helsinki

Area
210 m²

Year
2020

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Hospitality Design

Details

Background

Bardot is located in an old Art Nouveau building – the classic architecture was also a source of inspiration in the design. The team wanted to display the food and cooking to the customers, so part of the kitchen was integrated into the restaurant hall.

Strategy & Delivery

The functionality of the space was increased with the bar, where the restaurant can expand when full, otherwise the bar is an independent part of the restaurant with its own entrance. The lighting of the venue is flexible and emphasizes the functionality and warm atmosphere of the space. The French atmosphere was also sought in the furniture by using vintage pieces. The fixed furniture designed by Fyra was ordered from Finnish carpenters.

Team

Eva-Marie Eriksson

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
Hotels and Restaurants

eva-marie.eriksson@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 537 7350

Anu Latvala

Head of Concepts
Interior Architect

anu.latvala@fyra.fi

+358 (0)41 501 6405

Jasmin Wegelius

(on parental leave)
Interior Architect
Designer

jasmin.wegelius@fyra.fi

+358 (0)400 426 926

Laura Järvinen

Interior Architect SIO
Designer

laura.jarvinen@fyra.fi

+358 (0)50 523 7187

The bar at Hotel Kämp is an iconic cocktail lounge with a history going back to 1887. Fyra’s mission was to renew the bar while honouring its history and doing justice to its international stature.

Client
Kämp

Location
Helsinki

Year
2020

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Hospitality Design

Details

Background

The aim was to build a uniform solution where the different spaces – the bar, lobby and brasserie – would complement one another naturally. The renovation of the brasserie will serve as the finishing touch. The starting point for the work is functionality, through the lens of which the whole service chain was reconsidered.

Team

Eva-Marie Eriksson

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
Hotels and Restaurants

eva-marie.eriksson@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 537 7350

Emma Keränen

Interior Architect
Designer

Silja Kantokorpi

Interior Architect
Designer

silja.kantokorpi@fyra.fi

+358 (0)44 031 0899

Valo is a new hotel concept that offers hotel services, meeting and coworking facilities. The hotel needed a combination of a multi-purpose bistro and a lounge bar to serve the hotel guests but also to function as an independent restaurant and a bar

Client
SSA Hotels Oy

Location
Helsinki

Area
Elo bistro 304 m² and Suo bar 246 m²

Year
2020

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Hospitality Design

Details

Background

Fyra designed two different restaurant spaces for Valo, with Scandinavian communality as the unifying roof theme. Nordic style is reflected in the material choices as well as in the atmosphere. The core of the plan for Elo bistro and the Suo bar is functionality. In the morning, both serve as the hotel’s breakfast room, during the day as a business lunch spot, and in the evening the bistro and bar serve local people in addition to the hotel guests.

Strategy & Delivery

Beautifully patinated natural materials were preferred in Restaurant Elo’s material choices. Ash parquet and ceramic tiling create light warm tones. When choosing the furniture Fyra had to take into account heavy use and sufficient room to move around the furniture.

Most of the furniture is designed by Fyra and commissioned from local carpenters and the rest comes from new Finnish design brands. The furniture of the Suo bar was also supposed to be suitable for dining. The business angle had to be taken into account e.g. as charging points for phone a nd computer.

Team

Eva-Marie Eriksson

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
Hotels and Restaurants

eva-marie.eriksson@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 537 7350

Laura Järvinen

Interior Architect SIO
Designer

laura.jarvinen@fyra.fi

+358 (0)50 523 7187

Sara Koivisto

(on parental leave)
Interior Architect
Concept Designer

sara.koivisto@fyra.fi

+358 (0)50 365 7219

Top chefs Hans Välimäki and Arto Rastas wanted to open a tapas restaurant that would have an atmosphere that was cozy and laid back. With the help of Fyra, Penélope found its soul.

Client
Penélope

Location
Helsinki

Year
2018

Photography
Riikka Kantinkoski

Expertise Hospitality Design

Details

Background

A couple of things were clear from the very beginning: Hans Välimäki and Arto Rastas did not want a fine dining restaurant that lacks warmth. They wanted a place that felt as if it has been there, in the heart of Helsinki, forever. The atmosphere should be laid back and cozy. A place where the customer felt like having arrived at someone’s home to enjoy great, unpretentious food. There would be a classic style long bar, the colour red and couches. Under no circumstance would it be trendy. Now all they needed was to find the right people to make that vision come true.

Strategy & Delivery

Eva-Marie Eriksson, partner at Fyra, and the team comprised by Jasmin Friman, Laura Järvinen and Heini Korpinen got down to work. First on their agenda was to tackle the practical side of things: how to efficiently use a small space while creating enough room for the personnel to work and ensuring an enjoyable dining experience for the clients.

“A packed restaurant with a bit of hustle and bustle – that’s a typical tapas restaurant for you. Yet, you need to be able to meet to the restaurant safety requirements and make sure the space has a nice flow to it”, Eriksson says.

Having first sketched the large bar counter into the plans, the fixed furniture, tables and couches were then easy to position.

A cozy feel, classical yet relaxed vibe and warmth were the elements guiding the design from the beginning. Eriksson and the team looked for materials with a lived-in feel to them. A reddish terracotta tile was chosen for the restaurant floor, classic marble for the bar counter and the tables were made from rustic wood.

“Marble and terracotta develop patina over time and age beautifully as natural materials do.”

The colour red was also used in the ceiling: an easy-going atmosphere was created by demolishing the dropped ceiling and revealing the duct system. The ceiling and pipes were painted with a subdued red that counteracts with the terracotta tiles.

Having established the big picture, it was time to add complementing touches. Kimmo Pohjapelto from Roomage helped Fyra by finding a variety of old chairs some of which were painted white. In addition to customary high chairs, playful small couches were placed at the bar. They seat two people side by side.

“When you sit in one of those couches it’s as if you are sitting in a booth. Sitting there it’s easy to forget you are actually in Finland”, says Maria von Graevenitz-Välimäki.

The ambience of being in someone’s home was emphasised by displaying the kitchen tools and machines. A steel Berkel is placed in the middle of the restaurant. It is used for slicing Spanish ham. The espresso machine at the bar is placed in an angle so that the barista is facing the customers instead of having to stand with their back towards people.

“The atmosphere is exactly like we wanted it to be: it’s inviting and comfortable and customers can enjoy our food in a wonderful setting.”

Food is, of course, a priority in a top-notch restaurant but von Graevenitz-Välimäki considers the interior equally important.

“Even if the food is excellent, I don’t feel comfortable in places where the interior that lacks warmth. The interior plays a huge part in enjoying one’s stay.”

Eva-Marie Eriksson received the best feedback immediately during the opening of the restaurant. She heard the customers in awe wondering if the floor was the original floor of the old building.

“Penélope has this feel as if the restaurant has always been there. It’s wonderful to work and have the client trust your designs.”

Also Maria von Graevenitz-Välimäki was happy working together with Fyra. Customers were very pleased with the atmosphere and kept commenting how they keep forgetting that they are in Finland.

“It all went very well. The people at Fyra were flexible and carried out all the changes that needed to be done but did also voice their opinion. That was a good thing since that was why they were hired.”

Team

Eva-Marie Eriksson

Co-founder
Senior Designer,
Hotels and Restaurants

eva-marie.eriksson@fyra.fi

+358 (0)40 537 7350

Heini Korpinen

Interior Architect
Designer

Jasmin Wegelius

(on parental leave)
Interior Architect
Designer

jasmin.wegelius@fyra.fi

+358 (0)400 426 926

Laura Järvinen

Interior Architect SIO
Designer

laura.jarvinen@fyra.fi

+358 (0)50 523 7187