Contact

studio(at)paivihelander.fi
+358 40 588 4211

Bio

Päivi Helander is an art director and graphic designer. After completing a master’s degree in Art Studies at the University of Turku and studying graphic design at UCLA, Los Angeles, she has worked in book publishing, design and marketing communications in Munich, Hamburg and Helsinki.

After five years as creative director and partner at an award-winning multidisciplinary design studio in Helsinki, Helander opened her own studio in 2019. Her projects range from creating visual identities to art direction, visual storytelling and concept design. In her work, Helander pursues her great interest in haptic and spatial expression, print publishing, colours, typography and form. Books are her lifelong love.

Helander has won several awards in international and national design, marketing and book design competitions. She has also had the honour to be selected as the Graphic Designer of the year 2025. Helander is the Chair of the Finnish Book Art Committee and a board member of the The Foundation of Finnish Book Institute.

Päivi Helander also consults, lectures and moderates on creativity, sustainability and editorial design. Since 2019, she has been a visiting project teacher at Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture, specialising in the visual narrative of climate change, spatial expression in visual communication, contemporary graphic design and design impact. She has co-authored books Working with Wood (Rakennustieto, 2017), Curiositas (Kansallismuseo, 2021) and Olof Ottelin. Sisustusarkkitehdin muoto – En inredningsarkitekt tar form (Arkkitehtuurimuseo, 2023).

Lectures and Talks

Interior Designers' Association Seminar, 2025
Panelist in the Talk: Mystery of the creative process, Helsinki Design Week, 2024
Interviewer in the discussion about Studio Kukkapuro, Habitare, 2024
Radio Helsinki: Salone Special!, Milan Design Week, 2022
Radio Helsinki: Helsinki Design Weekly with Anni Korkman, 3 episodes about Design, Art and Architecture, 2021
Moderator in the discussion: What is the current state of creative design? Grafia, 2021
Moderator of a panel discussion New Standards, Venice Architecture Biennale, 2021

Teaching

Polaris, Climate change-project, Aalto University – School of Arts, Design and Architecture. 2019–2020
Visual Narrative in Design, Aalto University – School of Arts, Design and Architecture. 2020
Contemporary Graphic Design, Aalto University – School of Arts, Design and Architecture. 2020 onwards
Design Impact II, Aalto University – School of Arts, Design and Architecture. 2021 onwards
Packaging Design, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. 2022 onwards

Writing

Olof Ottelin. Sisustusarkkitehdin muoto – En inredningsarkitekt tar form. (Helander, Berger, Ylönen, Koskimies, Roivainen). Arkkitehtuurimuseo, 2023.
Working with Wood – A Nordic Perspective on Cabinetmaking (Helander, Kivelä, Karvinen, Salmela). Rakennustieto, 2017.

Exhibitions

Olof Ottelin – Interior Architect and Designer, 1.2.2023 – 16.4.2023, Art and Museum Centre Sinkka
Olof Ottelin & Hanken, Helsinki Design Week 2023

Selected Awards

Graphic Designer of the Year 2025
Vuoden Huiput Silver award in Publications and Photos: The Seasons of Savoy -book, 2023
Honorary mention in Cover Category; The Most Beautiful Books in Finland: Hanna-Katariina Mononen: Kotoa, 2023
Honorary mention in Non-fiction, The Most Beautiful Books in Finland: Olof Ottelin, 2023
Vuoden Huiput Silver award in Design: Pasi Kärkkäinen-Tunkelo, 2022
Vuoden Huiput Silver award in Photos: Fiskars Sustainability, 2022
The Monocle Design Award (Cover Story Paint), 2022
Honorary mention in Non-fiction, The Most Beautiful Books in Finland: New Standards, 2021
Vuoden Huiput Silver award in Photos: Frantsila Herb Farm, 2020

Selected Press

Vuoden Graafikko Grafia
Habitare Layers Designboom
Habitare Layers Frame
Vuoden Graafikko Design Stories
Graphic Designer of the Year Aalto