Teemaa Teahouse in Helsinki by Yatofu Creatives.

A quiet achiever, this tea house in downtown Helsinki explores the craft of tea making through honest and textural materials. Designed by Yatofu Creatives, the interior is embedded with the tea brand’s commitment to honesty, transparency and quality.

Established by a pair of passionate founders, Teeama has a strong emphasis on sourcing ethically and forming close relationships with their suppliers. To tap into this idea conceptually, Yatofu reference the rawness of tea as an ingredient, while reflecting its cultural complexity.

Related: Bund Post Office and Shop by Yatofu Creatives.

“A grounded palette of honest and textural materials was extracted from those used in the process of tea-making itself, such as weathered steel, textured bricks and wooden surfaces,” elaborates the Yatofu team. “These were reinterpreted into a contemporary space through the use of modern forms, with a focus on handmade qualities to create a visual dialogue which speaks to the markings of time and craftsmanship.”

Calm and sleek, the atmosphere of the interior is one of a sanctuary. Pairing this with a new playful visual identity, also created by Yatofu, the combination creates a raw yet refined aesthetic that invites people inside—a warm and approachable interpretation of contemporary tea culture for the Nordic lifestyle.

Environmental responsibility was highlighted and prioritised throughout the project. “In the sourcing and production process, one of the main goals was to eliminate an excess of off-cuts or leftover materials. Towards this goal, material quantities were calculated meticulously, excess bricks were recycled, and metal fixtures were oxidised post fabrication to avoid unusable discarded offcuts,” explain the designers.

Vintage stools, chairs and timber table tops are complemented with earthy ceramics, ferns and &Tradition’s JH3 and JH5 rice paper pendants—a great visual analogy of East meets West.

For a country known as one the highest consumers of coffee in the world, they better watch out—Teeama’s coming for the market.

Related: The Relic Shelter: Fuzhou Teahouse by Neri&Hu.

[Images courtesy of Yatofu Creatives. Set Design & Styling by Piia Emilia. Photography by Aleksi Tikkala. Project Video by Mark Vicuña.]