Laatikonomainen

Laatikonomainen is a Finnish adjective meaning box-shaped or box-like. It is formed from laatikko, meaning “box,” plus the suffix -mainen, which denotes resemblance. The word describes forms that are roughly rectangular or cuboid, typically with flat faces and right-angled edges. It is used to convey a simple, geometric massing rather than a curved or organic shape.

The term is a general, non-technical descriptor. It appears in descriptive writing across disciplines such as architecture, design, and art, where a massing or silhouette resembles a box. It can be combined with various nouns, producing phrases like laatikonomainen muoto (box-like shape), laatikonomainen rakennelma (box-shaped structure), or laatikonomainen siluetti (boxy silhouette).

Usage examples include describing a building where the overall volume is dominated by rectangular prisms, or an object whose profile is clearly rectangular and planar. While not a specialized technical term, laatikonomainen conveys a clear visual impression of simplicity and regularity in form.

Etymology and related terms: the word is built from laatikko and the productive suffix -mainen. Related Finnish descriptors for shapes include suorakulmainen (rectangular), neliömäinen or neliöksi (square-shaped), and kulmikas (angular). Laatikonomainen remains a common, informal way to characterise geometric form in Finnish texts.