A new shrine to tea culture—and a counterpoint to Finland’s prolific coffee concepts—has been unveiled in downtown Helsinki. Designed by locally based studio Yatofu Creatives, teahouse and retail space Teemaa aims to enlighten visitors in an environment characterized by authenticity and familiarity to the Nordic lifestyle.
“Teemaa is one of few places in Helsinki to focus purely on tea, and not only on the product itself but also their origins and presenting cultures and processes surrounding tea through workshops and events,” says Yatofu cofounder Angela Lindahl. “We wanted to reflect the origins of tea and how grounded the founders of Teemaa are in their vision for sharing Asian tea culture with their customers.”
Throughout the 860-square-foot space, the uneven edges of raw materials—including brick, clay, wood planks, and large sheets of iron—are highlighted as distinctive features instead of flaws. “We kept the space itself quite clearly articulated so that the materials themselves could speak volumes,” fellow Yatofu cofounder Yihan Xiang adds.
Abundant daylighting complements a welcoming atmosphere where the emphasis on handmade qualities establishes a visual dialogue on the markings of time and craftsmanship. An exposed prep kitchen serves as a key focal point of the interior, while tea varieties pop against large wooden columns in the ground floor’s retail section.
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