Helsinki-based designer Joanna Laajisto has completed Popolo, a ski resort restaurant designed to be both cosy and practical for guests walking in from the slopes.
The Studio Joanna Laajisto founder designed the pizzeria as part of Kultakero, a new hotel at the Pyhä Ski Resort in northern Finland.
The interior pairs slate flooring with patterned timber wall panelling
Her scheme features a floor made from irregularly shaped slabs of slate and wall panelling with distinct feather-like grain patterns.
Other key details at Popolo include leather seating and copper lamps and candleholders, which offer a sense of warmth.
Snowy scenes outside the window allowed for a darker material palette
"The restaurant is designed to fit into the unique landscape of Pyhä; easily approachable yet atmospheric, suitable for both skiing directly from the slope and an atmospheric multi-course dinner," Laajisto said. The designer based the design on her own experiences of the area. She has a vacation home in Pyhä and spends much of her time snowboarding and mountain biking here.
"I have spent most of my winter holidays in this place with family and friends, so I just imagined a space we would all love to spend time in," she told Dezeen.
Copper lamps and candleholders bring a sense of visual warmth
The large windows, offering views of the snow-covered slopes, led her to explore materials that might otherwise have felt inappropriate.
"Those elements allowed us to create a d...