El Fant Café & Bar Is a Novel Addition to Helsinki’s Old Town
In the heart of old Helsinki, Shanghai- and Helsinki-based Yatofu Creatives has realised a contemporary hospitality space that pays tribute to Finnish craft. Studio founders Yihan Xiang and Angela Lindahl tell us more
Design Anthology: How did you first meet the client?
Xiang: The clients are a young musician and graphic designer couple. They contacted us after they visited the Teemaa Teahouse, a Helsinki teahouse and tea brand we designed. Our first meeting was on a classic rainy spring day, but the meeting was full of inspiration and spark — we felt their passion for creating a different kind of cafe and bar in one of the oldest districts of Helsinki.
What was the brief to you for the project?
Lindahl: Considering their creative background, they wanted to create a cafe and bar that welcomes both locals and travellers. We believed the space could transcend the traditional cafe or bar concept and serve as a dynamic hub, hosting live performances, jazz nights, contemporary music events, reading clubs, knitting clubs and various other activities. We’re pleased to see that all these events are currently taking place.
What’s great or unique about the neighbourhood?
Lindahl: El Fant is located in Torikorttelit, a historic area in the centre of Helsinki’s old town that can be traced back to the 18th century. The area is a hub of iconic architecture and cultural destinations beside the sea, featuring a variety of boutiques, cafes and Michelin-starred restaurants scattered among famous monuments such as the Helsinki Cathedral, Presidential Palace, City Museum, open-air market (Kauppatori) and Cruise Terminal. If there's one place we recommend visiting in Helsinki, it would probably be this area. It’s vibrant and relaxing, and people often smile at each other, especially in the summertime.
How did you approach the project? What design references or narrative did you try to incorporate?
Lindahl: We were inspired by the abundant history and vibrant community energy of El Fant’s surroundings, so we proposed to recreate the space as a destination that not only injects more creative energy into the old town but also explores the unique potential of contemporary Finnish design. Our design perspective balances the novelty of a unique interior concept with the heritage of local values and traditional materials. As part of this, we aimed to showcase young Finnish craft in an honest and contemporary manner throughout the entire project.
Tell us about the material choices.
Xiang: In our recent projects, we’ve been discussing how to work more closely with local materials and artisans. We believe that local production is an efficient way to create sustainable designs. The use of pine as a long-lasting building material has been a long-revered practice in Finnish craft, embodying ideals surrounding nature, purity, sincerity and practicality.
We collaborated closely with Puutamo — a carpentry workshop spearheaded by young female carpenter Eveliina Ylönen — and opted for four-centimetre-thick pine boards to fashion all custom furniture pieces across the 70-square-metre space. We also enlisted Paja&Bureau — a custom production studio led by two talented designer/craftspeople who specialise in working with all things metal — to create our custom fixtures out of galvanised steel, including all the shelving units and the entire bar counter.
The pairing of these two bold yet simple materials allows the sleekness of the galvanised steel to shine, while the warmth of the natural pine invites a welcoming atmosphere.
Tell us about those custom pieces.
Lindahl: As guests enter through the front door into the central bar area, the harmonious clash of juxtaposing materials and textures becomes evident, with the cold galvanised steel contrasting against hand-applied cave-like textured walls. The custom bar table and chair set is crafted from solid Finnish pine and treated with a saturated tomato-red dye, expressing a bold contemporary attitude while preserving its natural characteristics with visible wood grain.
We also designed a series of red pine benches and natural pine stools. Again, the use of solid pine ensures durability and reflects Finnish heritage, while we employed a playful design language incorporating off-cut wood blocks to complete the overall design.
Do you have a favourite element or design detail?
Xiang: Our favourite feature is the red bar table and bar chairs, which serve as the centrepiece of the entire space, showcasing heritage craft and a contemporary design approach to everyone who enters.
What other features are you most excited about?
Lindahl: The sanded stainless-steel mirror behind the red bench is a unique piece. We collaborated with Paja&Bureau to sand the outer surface area, creating a foggy effect that gradually fades toward the centre, leaving a mirrored effect in the middle. When the mirror reflects the light from the ceiling, it adds an artistic ambience to the space that we’re both delighted with.
Images courtesy of Yatofu Creatives
