Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

An Iconic Modernist Villa in Finland Is Painstakingly Restored

An Iconic Modernist Villa in Finland Is Painstakingly Restored

Oopeaa and Studio Petra Majantie left no stone unturned in updating architect Aarne Ervi’s classic lakeside design.

Situated overlooking a lake just outside Helsinki is Villa Koivikko, a modernist home designed by one of Finland’s masters of functionalism, architect Aarne Ervi. When he completed the home in 1958, the villa represented a vision for the future, with a boldly experimental form and advanced technical systems. However, by the time a new owner took possession of the home in 2016, many of these innovations had become outdated. Some of the home’s materials, too, had been worn away by the harsh Finnish climate. That’s when Studio Petra Majantie and Oopeaa stepped in.



"The goal was to give a new life to the building and to make it shine again, inside and out," explains interior architect Petra Majantie, founder of her studio by the same name. She focused on renovating and restoring the interiors, while Oopeaa addressed the exteriors.



In a top-to-bottom makeover, Majantie and Oopeaa gave the main villa a new copper roof, insulation in the floor and roof, electrically heated windows, and a new geothermal heating system. Following the original design, they repainted the building, restored the exterior teak details and concrete slabs of the terrace and entrance, and crafted new railings on the terrace.

"It is wonderful, innovative architecture, and we preserved a lot of the original details," says Majantie.



The design team made a similar effort to preserve the interiors. The floor plan remains the same, and the original fireplace, ceilings, wardrobes, and much of the furniture-including lamps by iconic Finnish designers Paavo Tynell, Tapio Wirkkala, and Lisa Johansson-Pape-were all carefully restored.



Other elements in the home had to be redone. When a servant’s bell went missing during the renovation, for example, Majantie and Oopeaa designed a new one using materials that complement the villa. In the kitchen, they restored the cabinets, but new ones were added to fit and conceal modern appliances.



"The goal was for it to look as if everything had always been there," says Majantie. "A lot of the details were custom-made so that the new and old designs mix naturally, and you can’t tell the difference between them."



Unfortunately, the original plans for the home’s bathrooms were lost, so the team drafted new ones with complementary elements: matte-glass mosaic flooring, ceramic tiles that match the hearth in the living area, and copper fixtures.

Similarly, new floors were installed throughout. The entrance, main living and dining areas, and primary bedroom feature custom parquet in iroko wood, while the kitchen and secondary bedrooms are finished with linoleum in a nod to the original flooring.



"This project is the most important and challenging of my career," says Majantie. "Countless hours were spent in studying the case, and taking care of all the smallest details to make everything perfect. The interior and exterior work seamlessly together, making it a complete work of art!"



Floor plan of Villa Koivikko by Studio Petra Majantie and Oopeaa

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
×