Helena Tynell and Nanny Still will get their own streets in Riihimäki

The city of Riihimäki is renaming two streets after Finnish glass artists. Mattilantie is being renamed Helena Tynellin katu and Etelän Viertotie is being renamed Nanny Stillin katu. The street name changes are part of the city of Riihimäki's goal to increase its recognition as a glass city.

"Helena Tynell and Nanny Still were among the most significant and beloved designers at Riihimäen Lasi Oy. Their interaction with the glass factory has helped create a glass city in Riihimäki. In a traditionally male-dominated industry, Still and Tynell quickly rose to become significant figures in their time," says Hanna Mamia-Walther, director of the Finnish Glass Museum.

The city's naming committee has discussed name changes and recommends changes.

The history of glass is already visible in the names of the streets in Riihimäki, in the area of ​​the old glass factory, and in the Kumela district, in the area of ​​the former Kumela glass factory. In the area of ​​the old glass factory, you can find, among other things, Ilveskatu, Kolehmaisenkatu, Maikinpolku and Aimo Okkolin Park. In Kumela, on the other hand, there are Hyttitie, Hyttimestarinkatu, Upokkaantie, Pillikatu and Puhaltajankatu.

City residents can express their opinions on the name change

The city is organizing a hearing regarding the name change of the streets. The city has sent a letter to the residents and businesses along Mattilantie and Etelän Viertotie whose address books will be affected by the name change. The city will also announce the name change via an online announcement and a newspaper advertisement. The city residents have the opportunity to express their opinions on the name changes by April 28, 2025.

After the consultation, a decision on the name change will be made by the official. Streets are named in principle in the local plan. According to the Area Use Act, however, a street name can also be changed by a separate decision. In Riihimäki, the decision on changing the name is made by the planning manager according to the vitality delegation rule.

Riihimäki leverages its roots as a glass city

Riihimäki is building its reputation on its strong roots as a glass city. Riihimäen Lasi Oy (1910–1990) was once the largest glass factory in the Nordic countries. In addition, several glass factories have operated in the region over the decades.

Helena Tynell (1918–2016), a glass artist who has her own street, worked primarily with glass and ceramics and designed for a variety of Finnish, Swedish, German and American companies. Tynell is characterized by graphic and sculptural design. She is best known as the designer of the Aurinkopullo bottle.

Glass artist Nanny Still (1926–2009) is best known for her Harlequin glassware, but her Flindari bottles have also become collector's classics. Still began working as a permanent designer at Riihimäen Lasi Oy immediately after graduating from the Central School of Arts, Crafts and Design in 1949. From 1959 onwards, Still lived in Brussels and designed glass for several different countries.

The Finnish Glass Museum is the most popular attraction in Riihimäki.

Nowadays, the Finnish glass museum operates in the former factory building of Riihimäen Lasi Oy, in the premises designed by Tapio Wirkkala. The Finnish Glass Museum is one of the most prestigious glass museums in the world, in addition to the Corning Museum of Glass in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

As part of the Glass City initiative, Riihimäki is organizing the international glass biennale, the Finnish Glass Biennale. The event invites glass lovers to Riihimäki, Iittala and Nuutajärvi for a week in June. The event will be held for the first time from 5 to 8 June 2025.

See the street name change areas on the map on the Take Action Now page.

Announcement of street name changes

Riihimäki glass city

Finnish Glass Biennale glass event 

Previous news: Riihimäki revives the tradition of the glass city (December 2024)