First displayed in the Pavilion of Finland at the Biennale Architettura 2021 in Venice, New Standards presents the history of a uniquely Finnish approach to mass-produced housing in the twentieth century. The exhibition documents the history and development of pre-fabricated buildings from 1940 to the mid-1950s. Developed by some of Finland’s leading mid-century architects, their archetypal exterior appearance belies the innovation that went into their structural design, spatial arrangement and domestic utility. Archival drawings, photographs and advertisements illustrate the ambitions of this period, revealing new innovations and illustrating the modifications that buildings underwent for different climates and cultural contexts.