Chappe: Art house by the sea
“Chappe, a new art house in southern Finland designed by JKMM Architects, punches above its weight”, said Wallpaper when the hyper-modernist yet cozy wooden museum opened in the small town of Tammisaari in the spring of 2023.
Renowned Finnish academic, Ohio-based cancer researcher, geneticist, lover of art and silver antiques, Albert de la Chapelle (1933–2020), established his namesake foundation with the explicit goal of building a contemporary art museum near his family estate. He wanted to invigorate the region and bring artists and visitors to the picturesque coastal town close to his heart.
“Our idea is that the museum will be striking, in the best sense of the word”, Albert once said
Simply put, Chappe is your art house by the sea. Nestled between the historic buildings, Chappe invites people in — to challenge and feed the eye, mind and the soul. The brand expression gets its ideas from biology, medicine and art. Rotating rings and molecule-like bubbles create contrast with angular shapes and the simple, solid typography.
Signage system is inspired by molecular shapes that wrap around the architecture.
Chappes visual language lives on digital surfaces and adapts to various environments, from visitor stickers to wayfinding signs and metal letters on the exterior walls. Even in static elements, there is a sense of movement and rhythm—paused for a moment. We wanted to keep an overall sense of unpredictability and experimentation, but with an inviting, warm tone—just like the name chosen for the museum, Chappe. It perfectly reflects the humor and sophistication of Albert, who was passionately curious about life.
Chappe is all about contrasts and connections – linking to the current and past at the same time
Chappe’s typography is inspired by the rhythm of DNA strands, and the unexpected, wave-like movements mimicking the sea, creating an identity in a constant flux.
The living identity forms a symbiosis with the changing exhibition contents
“The visitor numbers are proof of the success of our partnership”
Chappe’s typography is inspired by the rhythm of DNA strands
Since opening, Chappe has pulled in throngs of visitors, breaking its own target of 50,000 visitors a year within the first six months. The creative energy in the town and its surroundings is already up, and as the sweet cherry on top: Chappe won the 2023 Tourism Innovation Award. In further recognition of its overall excellence, Chappe was one of the finalists for the Architecture Finlandia award. And let’s not forget the 2024 Vuoden Huiput competition, which shortlisted Chappe’s brand identity for its merits.
Our incisive client and the head of the museum’s marketing, Janeta Asplund, describes the impact of the project and our continued collaboration like this:
Partnering with Werklig has been the transformative experience our museum and team were looking for. Werklig's creative expertise and strategic approach have helped us set a new international standard for the Finnish museum scene, perfectly situated here in the picturesque Tammisaari. Their work has given our museum a distinct and recognizable identity, making the way we promote our exhibitions and programs engaging and memorable. We couldn’t have asked for a better collaborator in imagining how we should present and share contemporary art with the world. We've always felt that the Werklig team is as wholeheartedly invested in the future success of our museum as we are. The visitor numbers are proof of that.
Janeta Asplund, Head of Marketing
“Werklig's creative expertise and strategic approach have helped us set a new international standard for the Finnish museum scene”
Scope
- Brand strategy
- Identity
- Stories
- Art direction
- Signage
Advertising - Web design
Partners
- Tuomas Uusheimo
- Kuvio
Antti Hietaniemi
- Panu Luukkonen
Anna Moilanen
