Homeowner Susanna prefers a motley set of dining chairs over a coordinated set; that way, guests can pick their favorite when they sit. Photo by: Petra Bindel

Another design takes a more amorphous profile.

Many designs, like this one, seem to float on the water.

As the beloved German industrial designer Dieter Rams once said, "Good design is as little design as possible."

Other designs envision the museum as a site for additional green space in the city.

This futuristic proposal incorporates the adjacent boardwalk.

Many of the proposals feature a wood-clad exterior.

Some proposals position walls of windows alongside the water, while others envision more elaborate facades.

An anonymous proposal for the Guggenheim Helsinki features a box-like form that opens up toward the water.

Stark geometries propose to reconfigure the waterfront.

Designers Maija Louekari's Lappuliisa fabric is cut and rolled into bolts. Follow us as we step inside Marimekko’s printing factory for a look at how its iconic textiles come to life.

Embossed logo and black text on beige paper make for a simple, standout design.

Seen on a tablet, HSC's website features a beautifully-lit photograph, while a white "flag" creates a simple division.

Photographer Alex Subrizi visited the Marimekko factory in Helsinki in early 2011 to photograph the textiles being made. “I could not have asked for gloomier conditions,” he says, “so I was very grateful for the bright moods of my hosts and the brilliant color of their handicraft.”

HFC's stationery and business cards, with a color palette inspired by pastel hued macarons.

A design and production service provider to the food industry, Helsinki Food Company's pastel colored business card leans against a trio of macaroons.

The Finland-based design agency works their magic on the HFC headquarters' exterior, too—top curved windows feature criss-cross logo patterning, signifying the company's core idea (We Love Good Food).

This frugal Finnish family got crafty redesigning their charming quaint space. The family's activity centers around the open-plan dining room, which does triple-duty as a living room and kitchen. Susanna prefers a motley set of dining chairs over a coordinated set; that way guests can pick their favorite when they sit. Photo by: Petra Bindel

The more complex the design and the more colors used, the more plates—and hands (up to four professionals at a time)—are required to run the 80-foot-long printer.

The color kitchen, where inks are made, is located in an open area as the inks are non-toxic and odorless.

The Marimekko factory prints nearly 6,500 yards of fabric each day. The company typically purchases its material, usually cotton, in 2,200- to 5,500-yard rolls or pallets from Germany, Peru, Turkey, and the Baltic nations. Flat screen–printing makes it possible to divide repeats in sections and create large-size patterns, from 24 inches to several yards long.

Workers in the on-site sewing area prepare textiles to become linens, bags, and more.

A closer look.

Juhani Lemmetti, seated in a 1936 Tank chair by Alvar Aalto, in his shop, Artek 2nd Cycle, in Helsinki, Finland.

A glimpse of the home shared by Yrjö and Irmeli Kukkapuro, courtesy of a Finnish magazine, Avotakka FinnMilieu70, that photographed the studio shortly after the family moved in.

The inks are stored in plastic wrap–covered buckets, which prevents a thick, top layer from forming. Each day, the color kitchen prepares hundreds of pounds of ink for the hues needed for the following day’s printing. “Thanks to having our own facilities, we can react quickly to sales,” Salmi says.

Completed in 2006, the Kamppi Centre is located in downtown Helsinki. Collaborating with several firms, Juhani Pallasmaa Architects led the design of the 400,000-square-foot mega-structure. It houses a major transit hub below ground, and above, a lively pedestrian plaza, commercial complex, and mixed-use developments.

Mustikainen describes his design philosophy as "Scandi with a twist."

From inside the cabin, a massive window and extended deck grant views over Helsinki’s scenic archipelago.

Designed by Helsinki–based designer Robin Falck for energy company Neste’s Journey to Zero campaign, the Nolla Cabin champions zero-waste and simple living with its minimalist, eco-friendly build.

A dark blue Living Tower, 1969, by Verner Panton is a focal point in the 2,400-square-foot space.

An assemblage of Aalto’s 1936 Stool 60.

As Irmeli and Yrjö Kukkapuro got older (they're now in their 80s), they built a structure alongside the original 1968 home. Here, their wood-paneled kitchen, featuring some of Irmeli's and friends' artwork along the walls. Read the full home tour and profile on Yrjö Kukkapuro in Dwell's June 2014 issue.

The Kiasma, which opened in 1998, is Helsinki’s contemporary art museum. Designed by Steven Holl, the building’s scale is based on the dimensions of the human body.

Helsinki architect Ville Hara and designer Linda Bergroth collaborated on a prefab shed-meets-sleeping cabin, which can be assembled with little else than a screwdriver. Bergroth, inspired by nomadic yurt dwellers, wanted an indoor/outdoor experience for her property in Finland.

The minimalist Börd lamp by Mustikainen.