In 1951, the clothes sewn from bold and colourful printed fabrics of the textile and fashion company Marimekko were presented for the first time at the Kalastajantorppa Hotel in Helsinki, Finland....Show moreIn 1951, the clothes sewn from bold and colourful printed fabrics of the textile and fashion company Marimekko were presented for the first time at the Kalastajantorppa Hotel in Helsinki, Finland. During the next decade it appeared that Marimekko did not plan to remain as a manufacturer of fabrics and clothes, but aspired to create a whole lifestyle around the brand. In 1963 the company took its first step towards the world of architecture by launching the utopian project of Marikylä (Mari Village), which initially aimed to create a residential community for the company’s employees. In 1966 the first building of the village, the Experimental House, was created in collaboration with the Finnish architect Aarno Ruusuvuori (1925-1992). This modern, pre-fabricated building contrasted greatly with another house that is closely associated with the company, the Manor House Bökars. Since 1964 this rural and somewhat romantic house had a strong influence on the company’s image as the official residence of Marimekko which was visited by guests from home and abroad. This thesis attempts to shed more light on Marimekko’s venture on the interior design and architecture during the 1960s by analysing these two contrasting houses – the Experimental House and the Manor House Bökars – as realisations of Marimekko’s vision of an ideal lifestyle, while originating from two seemingly different worlds.Show less
