A cinema, Ana Kraš, Kallesø Architects, All the Way to Paris and a conceptual workshop by nine designers – a preview of Habitare 2026’s rich programme

Habitare 2026 opens its doors on 2 September with the theme Juonenkäänteitä / Plot Twists. The five-day programme brings international keynote speakers, sharp industry discussions and unexpected encounters to the stage. The Nordic region's leading furniture, design and interior architecture fair takes place at Helsinki Exhibition Centre from 2–6 September 2026.

Juonenkäänteitä / Plot Twists seeks out small ruptures, joyful surprises and welcome changes of direction. The theme approaches design and living as a story in which ideas, objects and spaces can take a new turn at any unexpected moment – encouraging us to see life as a narrative full of twists, turning points and new beginnings.

"We want Habitare to be a manifestation of joy, new possibilities and the kind of turns that bring people together, enable collaboration, inspire, and create new business and growth," says Tanja Pasila, Business Director of Habitare.

Highlights from the programme

The fair opens on Wednesday with the announcement of the winner of the Habitare Design Competition, now in its 22nd year. The head judge is industrial designer Mika Nenonen.

The Copenhagen-based multidisciplinary design studio All the Way to Paris (Tanja Vibe and Petra Gendt) opens Wednesday's programme with a talk on the power of analogue processes and creativity at the intersection of old and new. Danish practice Kallesø Architects (Pil and Martin Kallesø) will speak about home restoration and the combining of different eras – and what Aino and Alvar Aalto mean to them.

Thursday's keynote is Petrus Palmér, founder of design brand HEM, whose talk addresses building a design company in times of change and the courage to choose long-term value over short-term growth. We will also hear from Erkka Hirvonen, founder of Runo Hotel, on the role of sensory experience in spatial design.

Friday's architecture-focused day features, among others, Senior Designer Amy Blight from Conran Partners, and curator Lev Bratishenko, who challenges architectural conventions at The Cosmic House in London, one of the landmark buildings of postmodern architecture. Ella Kanninen and Jasmiini Lappalainen share their experiences of house-hunting in Italy and renovating an apartment.

Saturday's keynote is Belgrade-born, Paris-based designer, photographer and artist Ana Kraš, whose wide-ranging practice spans furniture design, lighting, photography and fashion. Kraš draws inspiration from simple materials and the Japanese design tradition. She is best known for her Bonbon lamps, handcrafted from recycled threads from the fashion industry and now part of HAY's permanent collection. In Paris, Kraš leads her Teget brand, which brings fashion and home interiors together into one cohesive world.

The 2026 theme exhibition is designed by Helsinki-based Minestrone Workshop, a collective of nine designers known for their experimental, material-driven practice and culture of making by hand. The exhibition takes the form of a conceptual workshop environment, offering a view into the everyday reality of creative work and the unfinished nature of the design process – that stage where ideas are still in motion and open to change.

Habitare's popular Naapurit area receives a new interpretation designed by Arkkitehti Takkunen from Oulu. Eeva and Tapani Takkunen create a courtyard setting centred on sustainability in design, the lifecycle of products and buildings, domestic materials and a sense of place. Interior architect Eeva Takkunen will discuss the story behind the exhibition in an interview with Eeva Kolu.

Construction is also given its own dedicated space at Habitare this year. The Build Lab area, designed by Laura Seppänen, showcases the expertise behind renovation and construction – from HVAC engineering to contracting, traditional building methods to carpentry workshops. Visitors can find inspiration in curated construction solutions and get hands-on help from experts with their own building challenges.

On Saturday, photographer and influencer Janita Autio speaks about courage and living life on your own terms. In the spirit of the Plot Twists theme, Habitare will also screen films – Kino Konepaja brings a cinema experience to the fair hall together with Cinamafix, Bolon and Genelec. On Sunday, Eeva Kolu interviews Anna Brotkin, creator and screenwriter of the hit series Atlantis Pasila – a conversation exploring the role of design and environment in storytelling, and why the Pasila neighbourhood is such a compelling place right now.

Throughout the fair, Design District Helsinki brings inspiring faces from the worlds of design, architecture, art and urban culture to the stage.

Habitare 2026's full programme will be announced in early August.

Further information:

Päivi Helander, Creative Lead, Habitare, puh. +358 40 588 4211, studio@paivihelander.fi

Habitare, the leading furniture, design and interior event in the Nordics, will next be held at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre from 2 to 6 September 2026. | habitare.fi | @habitarefair | #habitare2026