living rooms

Silja Minkkinen, a Finnish director and photographer, holds a deep affection for her grandfather's forest lake house in central Finland, designed by her great-uncle for his artist brother.

The living room, especially the mezzanine, holds precious memories for Silja from her childhood summers, where she felt adventurous and safe. Her grandfather's cool and independent nature allowed her to be herself, and to this day, this place remains her sanctuary for quiet moments alone where she can connect with nature.

Turkish architect Merve Ünlü treasures her parents' isolated sea summer house as the most important place in her life. She loves the seamless connection between the open living room, kitchen, and terrace.

Merve finds comfort, inspiration, and freedom in this room, where she reads, writes, draws, paints, spends time alone, and with her loved ones. One of her fondest memories is reading Harry Potter at age 12, and feeling transported to a magical world.

Kamilla Fodor, a Hungarian community activist with a background in Social Services and Sociology, holds a deep emotional connection to her family's former home. Despite her frequent relocations, the cozy living room stands out as a cherished sanctuary. Memories of rainy days spent reading by the sliding glass doors, the room's bright and transparent ambiance, and evenings curled up with her cat in the armchair are fond reminiscences.

Even though she can't physically visit it anymore, this living room remains a timeless source of solace and introspection for Kamilla, a space she revisits in her mind whenever a respite from the world is needed.

Serbian filmmaker Jelica Jerinić found solace, joy, and security in the living room of her childhood home, a place where she could be alone or gather with her family, especially in a time of political turmoil.

Her cinephile parents would often watch movies with friends in the evenings, while little Jelica secretly watched from behind the sliding glass doors that connected her bedroom to the living room. This love for films kindled in her living room continues to shape Jelica's life as a filmmaker and scriptwriter.

As a young teenager, Pakistani chemical engineer Muhammad Saqlain found solace in an uncommonly decorated wooden university library. With its ambiance reminiscent of Harry Potter's world, the space inspired his fascination with architecture beyond its functional aspects.

For Saqlain, the library became a soothing place of refuge and solitude, where he would escape reality and gain knowledge about themes like dinosaurs and archeology. Even today, he remains captivated by textures and colors in architecture, driven by his love for the stories that spaces and materials tell.

South Korean visual artist Minjee Hwang Kim has lived in several countries, but it wasn't until she moved to Helsinki for her master's degree that she found a place that felt like home.

Her student dorm bedroom, though simple and temporary, marked the start of her independent life and was a peaceful refuge where she could be herself for three years, the longest she had stayed in one place.

Kaja Matura, an artist, herbalist, and massage therapist, cherishes her grandmother's house in Southern California as her only consistent home in a childhood filled with constant moves around the US

The kitchen serves as the heart of the house, where her extended family gathers and shares memories spanning her childhood to adulthood. For Kaja, the kitchen represents stability and a sense of belonging, yet it also brings bittersweet emotions as a reminder of its eventual impermanence.

Juhani Pallasmaa, a Finnish architect and writer, esteems his grandfather's farmhouse dearly. Isolated, he grew up with his mother and grandfather and was the only child within a 4km radius. In the attic, he crafted a magical realm entirely his own - it was his first library and art museum. Newspapers insulated the floor, old kitchenware and unknown objects populated the room. Two William Morris wallpaper catalogs were the only books lying around. Pallasmaa used to spend hours fascinating over their colorful patterns. Here, he gained consciousness about the artistry of architecture for the first time, admiring the monumentality and geometry of the room.

Juhani believes that "a space and a person are a continuum, we enter the space and the space enters us simultaneously - it's an exchange".

Finnish American game artist Ville Paloheimo's most cherished memories are tied to his mother's home in Helsinki, especially the living room and kitchen. Divided by an open stair connecting both spaces, it was a hub for social gatherings and fun during his childhood and teenage years.

Whether building pretend castles with friends on the brown leather couch or snuggled up with his sister watching cartoons on a lazy weekend morning, Ville's memories are inseparable from the love and comfort his mom provided in that cozy space.

Finnish architect Julius Kekoni spent most of his childhood and adolescence secluded in his parent's cluttered attic. Although it was an industrial space devoid of haptic materials, there he found a haven both private and connected to the world beyond from afar.

In the attic, he played video games, delved into sci-fi, and pondered the enigma of time. His elder brother would occasionally use this room to create electronic and mechanical gadgets. The scent of ferric chloride, linked to his brother's presence, lingers in Julius' memories.