The urban investment area of Jätkäsaari might be turning into the trendiest district in Helsinki! A key part of this development is the cool, international Clarion Hotel Helsinki, located in the central West Harbour area. The hotel decided to renew its luxurious Sky Room rooftop bar, and so begun our latest, super-exciting collaboration. The main entrance to the lounge bar – located in the dazzling 16th floor – got a fresh new look created by Napa’s “Queen of Murals” Ilona Partanen!

Ilona Partanen’s piece called “Jätkäsaari” was finished between February and March to decorate the wall nearest to the main entrance of the rooftop bar. This gigantic work of art, nearly 9 meters long and reaching from knee-high all the way to the ceiling won’t be left unnoticed! The breathtaking view looking over Helsinki melts into the painting and creates a warm welcome to anyone who enters.

In this mural the viewer can spot many characteristics of Jätkäsaari: dogs, the old city plan, and mystical sea creatures. Why exactly these things? The illustrator Ilona Partanen tells us a little bit about the original idea for the mural:

“Based on the first conversations with the Clarion gang I started to work on the curiosities related to Jätkäsaari. Also the view from the rooftop bar was playing a big role in the creative process. I was told that in Jätkäsaari there are the most dogs per capita in Finland. Also the closeness of the Baltic Sea is a huge part of the ambience, hence the ringed seal in the mural. I wanted to recreate the warm atmosphere of a fun, lively night in the Sky Room, so I added some soft lights, figures of people sitting at their tables, and a handsome couple with their drinks. The woman’s hair is fluttering like the ocean waves and you can spot little herrings weaving their way in it. By the time they reach the other side of the mural they have transformed into ships rocking softly in the sea!”

Clarion Sky Room’s restaurant manager Elina Kuusisto confirms, that the topic of the mural was chosen to be Jätkäsaari, because the hotel wanted to bring a piece of the beloved area & the city inside the hotel.

“The mural wall between the bar and the meeting room brings a fun addition to the window view of the city’s skyline. Sky Room’s guests can enjoy good cocktails, urban landscape and fabulous art at the same time!”

Sky Room is an unique space not only in Helsinki, but also in Finland: it combines spacious architecture, stunning interior decor and as the cherry on top there is the breathtaking view from 78 meters facing the sea and the rooftops of Helsinki! Ilona’s mural brings the colour and interesting detail to the space and emphasizes the design hotel brand in a very fresh way.

“Our hotel invests in design and artist collaborations – specifically in young, up-and-coming Finnish artists. Our clients value good design and everyday luxury. By combining Finnish design and art throughout time we can offer one-of-a-kind art experiences all wrapped up in a hotel stay.” Elina Kuusisto explains.

The uniqueness of the space was also a part of the artist’s working process, when the subjects of the painting were visible in the horizon. When Ilona was painting the mural, she often found herself standing across the Sky Room, looking at the view and pondering which elements she’d like to use in her work. Besides the mesmerizing view, she was also impressed by the interior:

“I chose the colours for the painting based on the new decor, I wanted to create a good flow in the space. The gold-colour paint shines from the wall depending on the hour and amount of natural light, also the dark green is highlighted depending on the lighting inside. The yellowish green matches perfectly with the new carpets. I chose the technique to be a certain kind because of the vision I had about the ribbon-style execution. I wanted to create a mural which just flows across the wall, and free, long strokes matched this idea perfectly! My goal was to make the mural free-flowing and unfastened.”

The illustrated landscape doesn’t stop at the wall, it keeps on going in the space reaching all the way to the bathrooms, and it is also featured in the renewed, awesome drink menu. Kuusisto reports, that the mural has been admired by both clients and the hotel staff: “It’s nice to see that with the wall art the space has this amazing warmth especially during the evening, when the colours really pop and shine!”

Come and see the mural for yourself! We give you a hint: visit the bar during the sunset, the golden paint in the mural looks truly magical.

Clarion Hotel Helsinki
Tyynenmerenkatu 2
00220 Helsinki

Sky Room is open:
Mon-Thu 15.00-00.00
Fri-Sat 15.00-02.00
Sun 15.00-21.00

More pictures of the mural & paintings process: Napa’s Flickr Album

Check Ilona Partanen’s previous amazing works from her portfolio!