Martela is participating in an extensive exhibition of Finnish architecture and design that opened in St Petersburg on 14 November.

The Golden Generation. Modernism in Finnish Architecture and Design exhibition, which is on display in the new galleries of the State Hermitage Museum on the Palace Square, presents major works of Finnish design and architecture from the era of Modernism and Functionalism.

There are four Martela items in the exhibition, all from the period 1945 – 1961: a writing desk made of birch by Liisa Nironen, the Prisma armchair by Voitto Haapalainen and two versions of the Kilta chair by Olli Mannermaa (the polyurethane frame of the chair and an upholstered version of the chair). The pieces are on loan from Martela’s own museum.

Master classes for schools to complement the programme

There is also a parallel programme to complement the exhibition at the State Hermitage Museum, and as part of this Martela is organising three master classes for children in cooperation with the Institute of Finland in St Petersburg.

In the Form follows the function workshop the focus is on interior architecture and furniture design. In the Cool space class children have the opportunity to familiarise themselves with ecological construction, and in the Sweet city group they can create an urban environment using edible materials.

Mari Jaakonaho (Architect, Master of Fine Arts), who is a teacher at the Arkki School of Architecture for Children and Youth, provides expert guidance at all the master classes. In the first workshop, the participants are also assisted by a design and interior professional from Martela.

The master classes and workshops for children are a natural continuation to the long-term design work that has been carried out for Martela’s Inspiring School concept, in which new types of physical learning environments and furniture help to create a more pleasant atmosphere and increase social interaction in educational institutions and other places of study.

The State Hermitage’s Department of Contemporary Art is organising the Golden Generation. Modernism in Finnish Architecture and Design exhibition in partnership with the Finnish Design Museum, the Museum of Finnish Architecture and the Alvar Aalto Museum.

The exhibition and the associated events are open from 14 November until the end of January 2016.