Riihimäki has its own streets for Helena Tynell and Nanny Still

2.1.2026 News Participate and influence Welfare and health Culture and leisure The streets Culture Glass city Decision making The Finnish Glass Museum

A collage of two black and white images. One shows a glassblower at work and a woman watching his work next to him. The other shows a woman showing off a beautiful glass vase in her hands. — In the picture on the left is Helena Tynell next to glassblower Valto Terhomaa. In the picture on the right is Nanny Still. Photo: Erkki Vaalle / Finnish Glass Museum Archives.

The city of Riihimäki will name two streets after Finnish glass artists. Mattilantie and part of Etelän Viertotie will be renamed Helena Tynellin katu, and the first part of Eteläninen Viertotie will be renamed Nanny Stillin katu. The streets named after notable glass artists 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 designers of Riihimäki glass. They have been involved in creating a glass city in Riihimäki. The story of glass is part of the identity and authentic cultural heritage of the city of Riihimäki. The city's glass history deserves more visibility in the city's everyday life and streetscape," says Vitality Director Anna-Riitta Kujala.

The streets named after Tynell and Still are a continuation of the glass-themed street names of the old glass factory of Riihimäen lasi Oy and the Kumela district. The area around the old glass factory includes Ilveskatu, Kolehmaisenkatu, Maikinpolku and Aimo Okkolinin puisto. In Kumela, on the other hand, there are Hyttitie, Hyttimestarinkatu, Upokkaantie, Pillikatu and Puhaltajankatu.

The glass city needs action

The names of the city's entrance routes will change when the official decision made by the Director of Vitality Kujala on Friday, January 2, 2026, has become legally binding. The change in street names affects five properties with respect to their primary address.

"The city has a unique cultural and historical trump card in its hands. A glass city is not just about words, it also requires actions. Changing the names of streets is one of these actions," Kujala says.

The city will celebrate the new streets with an opening ceremony. The event will be held in spring 2026. The city will provide more information about the date and content of the event once the official decision becomes legally binding.

Consultation round on the change

In the spring of 2025, the city consulted property owners about changing the names of the streets. As a result of the consultation, the city received twelve reminders on the subject. In addition, city residents provided feedback on the subject in the city's electronic feedback service and discussed the subject vigorously on social media. The opinions regarding the name change were evenly divided between those in favor and those against.

The city's expert body for naming issues, the naming committee, discussed the changes to the street names in spring 2025. The committee was in favor of the name changes. Because the topic aroused a lot of public discussion, the Vitality Committee was asked to provide its opinion on the name issue. The committee did not support the name change.

Cities name streets in principle in the local plan. The law also allows for changing the name of a street by a separate decision. In Riihimäki, changes to street names are decided by the planning manager or a vitality director with the same authority.

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. Still lived in Brussels from 1959 onwards and designed glass for several different countries.

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

The Finnish Glass Museum opened in its current premises in 1981. The museum exhibitions were designed by academician Tapio Wirkkala. The museum building was originally built as a peat powder factory for Paloheimo Oy in 1914. The building has also housed a plastics factory and a screen printing shop, and most recently, the crystal grinding plant of Riihimäki Glass.

The Finnish Glass Museum is one of the most prestigious glass museums in the world, along with the Corning Museum of Glass in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

As part of the glass city work, Riihimäki organized an international glass biennale, the Finnish Glass Biennale, in June 2025. The event invited glass lovers to Riihimäki, Iittala and Nuutajärvi for a week in June.