Weekend Wrap

Winter travel, world rally champ and Netflix’s new games studio

22-year-old Kalle Rovanperä became the youngest world rally champion ever after winning the Rally New Zealand. Facebook / Kalle Rovanperä

Helsinki headlines: Netflix has announced plans to open a new games studio there, and the BBC has featured its Wood City neighbourhood. Meanwhile, Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland is one of Europe’s best winter travel destinations. Click on the links below to take a detailed look at recent creativity from Finland.

Finnair strikes again. Air travellers have voted the company the Best Airline in Northern Europe at the 2022 World Airline Awards for the 12th consecutive time. “Our operating environment has not been easy over the past two years, but our focus has always been on customers,” said Tiina Tissari, vice president at Finnair. Forbes has the news. (Photo: Finnair)

“Is Finland’s Wood City the future of building?” asks the BBC. The broadcaster looks at the resurgence of construction of wood buildings in the country, such as Helsinki’s new neighbourhood Wood City. It covers, among others, hundreds of new wooden flats and the headquarters of gaming giant Supercell. (Photo: Facebook / SRV)

Netflix means business. Gaming business. The streaming giant has announced plans to establish an internal games studio in Helsinki and appointed Marko Lastikka as its lead, writes Trusted Reviews. “This is another step in our vision to build a world-class games studio that will bring a variety of delightful and deeply engaging original games — with no ads and no in-app purchases — to our hundreds of millions of members around the world,” said Netflix’s VP of game studios, Amir Rahim. (Photo: Julia Helminen)

Looking for winter holiday ideas? “Finnish Lapland is a winter wonderland like no other, perhaps best exemplified in the region’s capital city of Rovaniemi,” says Condé Nast Traveler. The travel magazine picked the Finnish city to its list of 22 best European winter destinations. (Photo: Arctic Tree House Hotel / Visit Finland)

Finnish startups want to transform how clothes are made. The BBC talked with Infinited Fiber and Spinnova on how their innovative textile fibres could help make the fashion industry more sustainable. Their ambitions are tied to Finland’s broader vision of becoming “Europe’s leading circular economy, with a focus on reusing and saving resources,” the news site writes. (Photo: Spinnova)

It’s tour time. Finnish DJ, songwriter and music producer Yotto has announced a new album titled Growth, accompanying US tour and his first single, reports EDMTunes. The tour will kick off in February 2023 in Boston and cover 11 locations. (Photo: Facebook / Yotto)

Kalle Rovanperä for the win. The 22-year-old rally driver claimed the World Rally Championship title in New Zealand and is now the youngest person ever to win the racing series. “It is a great relief that after a great season we are finally here. Big thanks to our whole team, they built this rocket,” Rovanperä commented after the race, according to Yle. Pictured are Rovanperä (on the right) and his co-driver, Jonne Halttunen. (Photo: Facebook / Kalle Rovanperä)

Gold for Glöet. An alcohol-free version of the glögg-meets-sparkling-wine drink was awarded 95 points and a gold medal in the wine-based flavoured drinks category at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Behind Glöet is a small Finnish family business, Von Elk Company. (Photo: Facebook / Glöet)

Angry Birds have flown onto skateboards. The popular gaming characters created by Rovio Entertainment decorate eco-friendly skateboard developer Capsule Skateboard’s new collection. Read more on the collaboration on ANB Media. (Photo: Rovio Entertainment)

Finnish collaboration wins at the European Heat Pump Awards. A heat pump solution developed by energy technology company Oilon and energy company Helen was awarded as the best in Europe in the DecarBuilding category. The heat pump not only warms and cools down a building but also uses its waste heat and waste water as heat sources. Read the companies’ press release for more. (Photo: Business Wire)

By: Eeva Haaramo

07.10.2022