– a gem of design and architecture.

Hvitträsk was built between 1901–1903 by famous Finnish architects Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren and Eliel Saarinen. The main building, designed in National Romantic style, built of logs and natural stone, was both a common studio and a home for Eliel Saarinen and Armas Lindgren for some years after it was completed. The Saarinen home is a museum today, and within the courtyard there is a restaurant and a rental sauna. Hvitträsk and its lovely English style garden are surrounded by beautiful nature near the shore of Lake Vitträsk in Finland.

A collaboration between The National Museum of Finland and Lapuan Kankurit resulted in a sauna collection designed by Reeta Ek. Reeta is a textile designer from Helsinki and a MA graduate from Textile Art and Design department in the Aalto University. In the HVITTRÄSK sauna collection, Reeta was inspired by national romanticism, especially the roses that are found in the garden and in many interior details in Hvitträsk. The collection combines traditional patterns and rhythm with relaxed ink painted strokes that flow beautifully on the woven surface.

Design Forum Finland awarded Reeta Ek with The Young Designer of the Year prize of 2017.

Have a look at the RUUSU X HVITTRÄSK collection.