Finnish Design and Learning Spaces: A Talk with Helka Parkkinen in Rome

On Thursday, November 13, 2025, from 6 to 7 PM, Rinascente Roma Via del Tritone will host, in its Exhibition Area – Acquedotto Vergine (floor -1), the talk “Finnish Design. Projects for Education and Learning”, featuring Helka Parkkinen, founding partner of the KOKO3 studio based in Helsinki.

The event, promoted by the Embassy of Finland and curated by Arianna Callocchia, is organized to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Moomin stories – the beloved Finnish fictional characters – and to explore the theme of sustainable design applied to educational spaces.

Finland and the Value of Education

Finland is internationally recognized for the quality of its education system and the values that underpin it: equality, trust, solidarity, sustainability, and a deep love for nature.
These principles—also reflected in the work of writer and artist Tove Jansson (1914–2001), creator of the Moomins—are integral to the country’s cultural identity and resonate throughout its approach to design.

In Finnish thinking, designing sustainable environments for education and learning means creating well-being for the community, fostering collective happiness, and protecting the environment for future generations.

During the talk, Helka Parkkinen will present a selection of interior design projects by KOKO3, developed for schools and universities.
Her work is characterized by a sustainable approach focused on creating flexible, multifunctional, and inclusive spaces that encourage interaction and socialization.

The projects employ local and recycled materials, modular furniture, circular economy principles, energy-saving solutions, and cutting-edge technologies to design environments capable of adapting to different teaching and learning methods, while respecting both people and the planet.

Participants and Collaborations

Speakers include Matti Lassila, Ambassador of Finland to Italy, and Tommaso Salvatori, Director of ISIA Roma Design. Following Helka Parkkinen’s presentation, a final discussion will be moderated by Alessandra Bertini Malgarini (ISIA Roma Design).

The event is part of the Nordic November Festival 2025, organized in collaboration with Rinascente Roma Via del Tritone, under the patronage of ISIA Roma Design, and in partnership with the Institutum Romanum Finlandiae.

Admission is free and open to the public. The talk will be held in English.

All images © Kimmo Virtanen, Courtesy of Design Office KOKO3