How about spending a night in the middle of an artwork that feels like the sea? To celebrate the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year, Original Sokos Hotel Arina is opening a new, art hotel room called Ode to Maritime Oulu.
The room “Ode to Maritime Oulu” has been created in collaboration with the Oulu-based art company KaikuArt, with artistic execution by Sanna Anttonen and concept design by Inka Leskinen. The room reveals Oulu’s often overlooked maritime character through art. Its most striking element is the floor, crafted using a visually bold alcohol ink technique—a material rarely seen in large, high-traffic spaces. The result is a deep, vibrant surface that reflects like water and is sustainably protected with epoxy.
“We don’t want the room to depict the sea, but to make you feel the sea.”
– Sanna Anttonen, Artist at KaikuArt
The floor serves as a symbolic sea surface, with the bed floating above it like an island. Beyond the floor, the entire room will be designed around the maritime Oulu theme, down to the smallest details.
“As an Oulu native, I’ve often felt disappointed by how little the sea features in our local identity. But things can change and be steered in the desired direction. In the themed room Ode to Maritime Oulu, the sea doesn’t stay in the background—it takes center stage and is celebrated,” says concept designer Inka Leskinen.
The construction work is carried out by the Oulu-based company IP Heikkilä Oy, which has implemented the project’s structures and technical solutions on art’s terms.
“What’s most fascinating in projects like this is when engineering meets art. We’ve had to find solutions that didn’t exist before—and that’s what makes this project unique. When pushing the boundaries of structures, materials, and techniques, the most important thing is to find a way to realize the vision safely and sustainably while keeping its original idea alive. In the Ode to Maritime Oulu project, we’ve worked according to our Ainut model, collaborating with different parties to combine perspectives and needs into a shared outcome. This is exactly what we mean by unique construction—cooperation that makes imagination real,” says Taavi Heikkilä, CEO of IP Heikkilä Oy.
Art for Everyone – In Everyday Life and as an Experience
The room will open as part of the European Capital of Culture 2026 program and is expected to attract travelers, locals, and those seeking cultural experiences. It can be booked as a regular accommodation, but will also open to the public every other Sunday from 4–6 PM. This makes the art experience accessible even to those who don’t usually visit galleries. The room will remain part of the hotel’s offering beyond 2026, serving as cultural heritage and an experiential interpretation of Oulu’s maritime identity for future guests.
“We want to be part of Oulu’s Capital of Culture year 2026 as a hotel. It’s also wonderful that we can add a storytelling room to strengthen our local identity and bring a sense of experience to our guests,” says Päivi Kaarlela, Hotel Director.
Discover more about the Ode to Maritime Oulu room and how to book it here.
Contacts:
Sanna Anttonen
Artist, KaikuArt
+358 45 7834 9373
Inka Leskinen
Concept Designer, KaikuArt
+358 41 547 9883
Päivi Kaarlela
Hotel Director, Original Sokos Hotel Arina
+358 50 431 0510
