A memorial dedicated to Yrjö and Irmeli Kukkapuro will be unveiled in Kauniainen on 21 May

A memorial dedicated to designer, honorary doctor and professor Yrjö Kukkapuro (1933–2025) and visual artist Irmeli Kukkapuro (1934–2022) will be inaugurated for public use during Granipäivä celebrations on 21 May at 6 pm. Titled Kukkapuro, the work consists of two steel versions of the iconic Model 4 (“Nelonen”) chairs, meticulously recreated according to the original design. The chairs are placed on a blue steel platform symbolising Lake Gallträsk, forming an accessible public sculpture that also serves as a resting place for residents in front of the local library.

The couple’s futuristic studio building is located in a lush forested area near Lake Gallträsk. The memorial bears the Latin inscription “habitarunt di quoque silvas” (“even the gods once lived in the forests”), a quotation from the Roman poet Virgil that was also engraved on one of Kukkapuro’s original Model 4 (“Nelonen”) chairs.

The idea for the memorial originated from the local cultural association Grankulla Svenska Kulturförening. The project also became a testament to the strength of community-driven initiatives, demonstrating that meaningful cultural projects do not always require public funding. The City of Kauniainen supported the initiative with a highly positive and collaborative approach.
— The project took about a year and was relatively easy to realise, as hundreds of local residents from our town of around 10,000 inhabitants contributed donations ranging from two euros to several thousand. We believed that everyone needs ‘a teaspoon of culture a day’, and it seems the whole town felt the same way, says project manager Maria Ekman.

The Mayor of Kauniainen, Christoffer Masar, has also expressed his delight at the successful completion of the project.
—To the world, Yrjö Kukkapuro was a design legend. For us in Kauniainen, he and Irmeli were simply local residents and neighbours. The fact that so many residents took part in the fundraising campaign reflects how much they meant to our community. We are very proud to honour their life’s work in the very heart of our town, says Christoffer Masar. This is not merely a traditional memorial. It will become a living meeting place in our town square, bringing their art into our everyday lives.

Yrjö Kukkapuro personally approved the memorial design before his passing. The work was designed by Studio Kukkapuro and manufactured by Rautarakenne Antti Kuusinen.

Studio Kukkapuro will open in spring 2027 as a small-scale museum and creative space, becoming the first museum in Kauniainen.
— This unique cultural heritage, shaped by architecture, design and art, deserves to be preserved for future generations, says Isa Kukkapuro-Enbom.

A Kukkapuro Fanfare composed for wind instruments by composer Johanna Almark will premiere at the memorial unveiling ceremony.

More information:

Isa Kukkapuro-Enbom, Studio Kukkapuro +358 40 500 5202 or isa@dodo.fi
Ida Kukkapuro, Studio Kukkapuro +358 50 5303854 or ida@idakukkapuro.com
Maria Ekman, projektipäällikkö +358 400 577 965 or maria@mariaekmankolari.com
Christoffer Masar, Kauniaisten kaupunginjohtaja +358 50 411 0163 or christoffer.masar@kauniainen.fi

Photo: Nelonen Alnus Poster by Yrjö Kukkapuro, Studio Kukkapuro archive