Heini Turunen

Heini Turunen is a textile designer operating in the junction of design and art. She has a background in visual arts and education, but her interest in surfaces and pattern design led her to textile design. Turunen has graduated from the Aalto University with a master’s degree in art education and is currently in the process of completing her textile design studies in the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. 

Turunen’s designs can be recognised by the delicate yet strong surfaces which are painted or drawn by hand. She is fascinated by opposites, which is evident in her works in the pronounced contrasts, lively use of colours, the changing rhythm of patterns as well as the sense of movement. Her work process emphasises trust in her own intuition and the power of being present, as well as aiming for lasting and timeless design. Turunen wishes to invoke emotions and bring joy to the everyday life with her designs.

Turunen’s SAVU design was created as part of Sauna Finland’s project to develop an idea or a product that signals Finnish sauna culture to an international target audience, in particular.

– I approached the subject through the theme of the Finnish smoke sauna through the lens of an authentic and unique experience. SAVU is one of the drafts from the “Saunan syli” design collection, and it embodies the mystical and dusky ambiance of a traditional smoke sauna. In my designs I wanted to capture the multisensory atmosphere, the rustic beauty of the patina that covers the surfaces, the scent of smoke and the softness of the healing steam. My goal was to create a product and design set that feels like a hug – the healing touch of a smoke sauna, Turunen shares.