Simo Puintila

Simo Puintila is a Lecturer at the Department of Design, Aalto University, specializing in design pedagogy and creative practice. His academic work bridges product innovation, exhibition curation, and material experimentation, with strong emphasis on experiential and spatial design.

Research interests span:

• Product & Material Design: Concrete/glass applications, functional aesthetics
• Spatial Experiences: Exhibition architecture, pop-up installations
• Design Education: Mentoring emerging designers for international competitions
• Sensory Design: Sound/light installations in public contexts

His artistic outputs (2019-2025) demonstrate consistent focus on:

• Design curation for festivals (Helsinki Design Week)
• Material-driven product innovation (sauna heaters, concrete lighting)
• Cross-cultural student exhibitions (Taiwan, Finland)
• Temporary spatial interventions enhancing public engagement

Awards under his supervision include:

• Red Dot Concept Award 2023 (Anurag Sarda's thesis)
• 2× Bocuse d'Or Best Plate Awards (2018-2019)
• Habitare Suunnittelukilpailu 1st Prize (2018)
• Glass Design Award by Gerhard Bürger Foundation

Key supervised students: Anurag Sarda (Red Dot winner), Niko Mankinen, Jinghua Zeng, and Laura Meriluoto (Bocuse d'Or recipients).