THE OPERATION SAUNABUS TRAVELS FROM HELSINKI TO BERLIN
>Press release 03.05.2004

>The Operation Saunabus is a steaming design exhibition on the road. At the same time it is a sauna in the bus, where you can sleep and cook on the way to the destination.

The exhibition consists of Finnish everyday objects for mobile living and sauna culture by designers of the University of Art and Design of Helsinki. The objects - soaps and water kiulus, foldable seats,towels and glasses among others are designed as part of the Saunabus and used by the passengers on the way.

For Berlin we have a selection of object from:
Mikko Paakkanen, foldable plastic seat
Tomoko Kurahara, glass and ceramic drinking glasses
And others

The original group of 8 young designers have deconstructed and customized an old bus metamorphosing it into a unique mobile home, which has a strong but fresh and unconventional Finnish identity.The building of the Saunabus was tutored by the industrial designer Heikki Tolonen, the specialist on designing custom made vehicles and assisted by Janne Virkkunen.

At the DESIGNMAI - INTERNATIONAL DESIGN FESTIVAL BERLIN (Shooting Stars of Europe) the Saunabus will be present during the first 5 days (06.-10.06). The Operation Saunabus is a happening open for visitors to experience the soothing and disarming atmosphere of the Finnish sauna.

Domestic and international co-operative companies of the Operation Saunabus are among others:

Finlayson (Sauna towels)
Iittala (glass and ceramics)
UPM Kymmene (veneer)
Saas instruments (fiber optics)
Nextell coating by Mankievicz


Saunabus images (©Photographs by Patrik Rastenberger)

>The Operation Saunabus is an initiative of The University of Art and Design of Helsinki and of the professor Timo Salli from the department of the Applied Art and Design. The purpose of the Operation is to give a chance for the young designers to exhibit and to create contacts in the international design field.

Saunabus graphic identity is made by Sasha Huber.

Original Helsinki > Milan Saunabus website

>Contact: Professor Timo Salli
Department of the Applied Art & Design
University of Art & Design Helsinki
Hämeentie 135 C, FIN-00560 Helsinki
Telephone +358-9-7563 0349
timo.salli@uiah.fi
www.uiah.fi

Download Saunabus press release (196Kb)
Helsinki Finland 16.01.2003

Download Saunabus illustration (88Kb)
Designed by Sasha Huber

Download 'Light Saunabus' press photo (552Kb)
Photograph by Christian Yakowlef

Download 'Dark Saunabus' press photo (612Kb)
Photograph by Christian Yakowlef