Museum of Finnish Architecture
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EXHIBITIONS DURING WORLD DESIGN CAPITAL HELSINKI 2012
The Museum of Finnish Architecture’s entire offering is part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme. The main themes of the museum’s repertoire are the environments we live in and sustainable development.
Paulo David: Alvar Aalto Medal 2012
Small Exhibition Hall, 4.2.–26.2.2012
This exhibition presents the winner of the Alvar Aalto Medal for 2012. Founded in 1967, this special prize is now being awarded for the 11th time in recognition of outstanding creative achievement in the field of architecture. The prize ceremony will take place at the WDC Design Gala at the Sibelius Hall in Lahti on February 2nd, 2012. Previous winners in addition to Aalto include Tadao Ando, Alvaro Siza and Steven Holl.
This years prize winner Paulo David will give a lecture at the MFA on 4 Feb at 3 pm. Please arrive early to secure a seat. Welcome!
Read more
Building the City! Children’s opera and exhibition
Small Exhibition Hall, 5.–18.3.2012
A memorable experience for all the senses, this interdisciplinary arts project introduces children to architecture and urban planning through a combination of opera, performance, short film and visual art. The project is designed around a series of operatic performances for children aged 5–12 based on the German composer Paul Hindemith’s opera Wir bauen eine Stadt (We’re Building a City). The child singers will be accompanied by an orchestra of professional musicians. Offering a hands-on introduction to urban planning and architecture, the associated workshops will allow children to experiment with system-built opera stage sets.
Get thee to Damascus! Kallio Church 100 years
Upstairs lobby, 1.3.–1.4.2012
This small-scale exhibition features Kallio Church designed by Lars Sonck. Featuring drawings and other illustrative material from the museum’s collections, the exhibition celebrates the church’s 100th anniversary. As part of its jubilee programme, the church will host music performances and a photography exhibition in its chapel.
Shorelines – Urban waterfront living
Large and Small Exhibition Halls, 28.3.–27.5.2012
Finland has 320,000 kilometres of shoreline – that’s eight times the Earth’s circumference! Seas, lakes and rivers are everywhere, with hundreds of kilometres of beaches found even in densely populated regions such as the capital and the southern town of Lahti. The proximity of water and beaches gives these cities a unique, vibrant identity, enhancing their liveability and competitiveness. Even so, urban shorelines could and should be integrated even more holistically as part of city life and the urban landscape. Many waterfront areas are undergoing intense development at the moment: Finnish cities are opening up towards the sea. Traditionally occupied by ports, factories and holiday villas, Helsinki’s shorelines are becoming home to new waterfront residential communities and recreational environments. Natural, undeveloped beaches and hard-edged industrial shorelines are being revitalized for new forms of urban usage. The city’s relationship with the waterfront is changing – and not for the first time in its history. The exhibition showcases various residential communities built in waterfront urban settings from the 18th century to the present day. There will be a related programme of events in the WDC Pavilion and on location.
Archilab forum
WDC Pavilion, MFA courtyard, May-September 2012
Every Wednesday from May to September, the Museum of Finnish Architecture will host a series of Archilab gatherings in the WDC Pavilion occupying the courtyard between the MFA and the Design Museum. Archilab is a series of workshops, panel discussions and open forums for exchange of ideas on topical themes related to sustainability and architecture. The events are designed to introduce these topics to the general public in an easily approachable form, while also providing professional practitioners with a round table for exchanging views and opinions. Certain discussions will be reserved for topics related to the Shorelines and Change exhibitions. The invited panellists are recognised experts from Finland and around the world.
Finnish Architecture 2010–2011
Large Exhibition Hall, 6.6.–22.7.2012
This year’s biennial review of Finnish architecture takes a new approach. In addition to highlighting the featured sites, it looks at various role interfaces. When visitors examine architecture from the multiple viewpoints of the designer, the developer, the contractor and the user, it yields new tools and insights for forming a deeper, multi-faceted understanding of architecture. The MFA has showcased the pick of contemporary Finnish architecture in its international touring exhibitions and accompanying catalogues every two years since 2002. The chosen sites provide a wide-ranging sample of various genres of architecture ranging in scale from single-family homes to comprehensive town plans. The sites are selected by an appointed jury.
Transformation: Towards a sustainable future
Sustainability in Finnish Small-scale Residential Building, Small Exhibition Hall, 6.6.–30.9.2012
Transformation: Main Exhibition, Large Exhibition Hall, 1.8.–30.9.2012
The home you choose may be the most important ecological decision you ever make. The built environment has been calculated as accounting for up to 60% of climate change. New Finnish energy-efficiency requirements taking effect in summer 2012 aim to achieve a significant reduction in emissions and energy consumption. How, then, can you build or renovate your home to balance human needs with the demands of ecological sustainability? How can an energy-guzzling apartment block be converted into a carbon-neutral haven? What is the ideal community structure from the viewpoint of sustainability? How can we meanwhile preserve existing historical settings? Change is an exhibition that delves into the changes that are going on in our climate, lifestyle and environment. It offers fresh perspectives and ideas on how – by changing our attitudes and old ways of thinking – we can turn a potential negative into a positive. The exhibition will extend into the lobby and courtyard, where visitors can examine the latest technical innovations in sustainable energy production.
Snøhetta: architecture – landscape – interior
Large and Small Exhibition Hall, 10.10.–25.11.2012
Renowned for its innovative, eco-conscious work, the award-winning Oslo- and New York-based architectural firm Snøhetta is featured in a multi-faceted exhibition that offers insights into the design and construction of the firm’s most important works, including the celebrated Bibliotheca Alexandrina built in Alexandria, Egypt, in 2002. The iceberg-like marble-surfaced Norwegian National Opera and Ballet built in Oslo, Norway, in 2008 has already become an iconic emblem of the city. Work is currently in progress on the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion in New York. The exhibition includes films, photographs, drawings, models and interactive learning devices.
Unbuilt Helsinki
Small Exhibition Hall 4.12.2012–24.2.2013
Unbuilt Helsinki is a research studio and model workshop based at the Museum of Finnish Architecture curated by Åbäke and Nene Tsuboi. Drawn from the museum’s archive and beyond, unrealised projects in Helsinki are studied by a team of researchers who generate new relationships with local resources in order to translate the projets into architectural models. Their findings and the narratives behind the buildings are displayed in an exhibition at the museum. Chosen projects include famous landmarks such as Stockmann, unrealised projects such as the planned motorway by Smith-Polvinen, and also projects completely unknown to the wider audience. Unbuilt Helsinki is not a critique to Helsinki. Rather, it displays an alternative vision; another reality and future, an alternative city where ambitious and utopistic visions may come true.
Events
Associated with these and other 2012 exhibitions is an extensive and varied programme of workshops, discussion panels, site tours and lectures by Finnish and international experts. These events will be held in the main museum, at its offsite Kaivopuisto venue (Puistokatu 4), in the WDC Pavilion and on location at the featured sites.
The Museum of Finnish Architecture’s entire offering is part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme. The main themes of the museum’s repertoire are the environments we live in and sustainable development.
Paulo David: Alvar Aalto Medal 2012
Small Exhibition Hall, 4.2.–26.2.2012
This exhibition presents the winner of the Alvar Aalto Medal for 2012. Founded in 1967, this special prize is now being awarded for the 11th time in recognition of outstanding creative achievement in the field of architecture. The prize ceremony will take place at the WDC Design Gala at the Sibelius Hall in Lahti on February 2nd, 2012. Previous winners in addition to Aalto include Tadao Ando, Alvaro Siza and Steven Holl.
This years prize winner Paulo David will give a lecture at the MFA on 4 Feb at 3 pm. Please arrive early to secure a seat. Welcome!
Read more
Building the City! Children’s opera and exhibition
Small Exhibition Hall, 5.–18.3.2012
A memorable experience for all the senses, this interdisciplinary arts project introduces children to architecture and urban planning through a combination of opera, performance, short film and visual art. The project is designed around a series of operatic performances for children aged 5–12 based on the German composer Paul Hindemith’s opera Wir bauen eine Stadt (We’re Building a City). The child singers will be accompanied by an orchestra of professional musicians. Offering a hands-on introduction to urban planning and architecture, the associated workshops will allow children to experiment with system-built opera stage sets.
Get thee to Damascus! Kallio Church 100 years
Upstairs lobby, 1.3.–1.4.2012
This small-scale exhibition features Kallio Church designed by Lars Sonck. Featuring drawings and other illustrative material from the museum’s collections, the exhibition celebrates the church’s 100th anniversary. As part of its jubilee programme, the church will host music performances and a photography exhibition in its chapel.
Shorelines – Urban waterfront living
Large and Small Exhibition Halls, 28.3.–27.5.2012
Finland has 320,000 kilometres of shoreline – that’s eight times the Earth’s circumference! Seas, lakes and rivers are everywhere, with hundreds of kilometres of beaches found even in densely populated regions such as the capital and the southern town of Lahti. The proximity of water and beaches gives these cities a unique, vibrant identity, enhancing their liveability and competitiveness. Even so, urban shorelines could and should be integrated even more holistically as part of city life and the urban landscape. Many waterfront areas are undergoing intense development at the moment: Finnish cities are opening up towards the sea. Traditionally occupied by ports, factories and holiday villas, Helsinki’s shorelines are becoming home to new waterfront residential communities and recreational environments. Natural, undeveloped beaches and hard-edged industrial shorelines are being revitalized for new forms of urban usage. The city’s relationship with the waterfront is changing – and not for the first time in its history. The exhibition showcases various residential communities built in waterfront urban settings from the 18th century to the present day. There will be a related programme of events in the WDC Pavilion and on location.
Archilab forum
WDC Pavilion, MFA courtyard, May-September 2012
Every Wednesday from May to September, the Museum of Finnish Architecture will host a series of Archilab gatherings in the WDC Pavilion occupying the courtyard between the MFA and the Design Museum. Archilab is a series of workshops, panel discussions and open forums for exchange of ideas on topical themes related to sustainability and architecture. The events are designed to introduce these topics to the general public in an easily approachable form, while also providing professional practitioners with a round table for exchanging views and opinions. Certain discussions will be reserved for topics related to the Shorelines and Change exhibitions. The invited panellists are recognised experts from Finland and around the world.
Finnish Architecture 2010–2011
Large Exhibition Hall, 6.6.–22.7.2012
This year’s biennial review of Finnish architecture takes a new approach. In addition to highlighting the featured sites, it looks at various role interfaces. When visitors examine architecture from the multiple viewpoints of the designer, the developer, the contractor and the user, it yields new tools and insights for forming a deeper, multi-faceted understanding of architecture. The MFA has showcased the pick of contemporary Finnish architecture in its international touring exhibitions and accompanying catalogues every two years since 2002. The chosen sites provide a wide-ranging sample of various genres of architecture ranging in scale from single-family homes to comprehensive town plans. The sites are selected by an appointed jury.
Transformation: Towards a sustainable future
Sustainability in Finnish Small-scale Residential Building, Small Exhibition Hall, 6.6.–30.9.2012
Transformation: Main Exhibition, Large Exhibition Hall, 1.8.–30.9.2012
The home you choose may be the most important ecological decision you ever make. The built environment has been calculated as accounting for up to 60% of climate change. New Finnish energy-efficiency requirements taking effect in summer 2012 aim to achieve a significant reduction in emissions and energy consumption. How, then, can you build or renovate your home to balance human needs with the demands of ecological sustainability? How can an energy-guzzling apartment block be converted into a carbon-neutral haven? What is the ideal community structure from the viewpoint of sustainability? How can we meanwhile preserve existing historical settings? Change is an exhibition that delves into the changes that are going on in our climate, lifestyle and environment. It offers fresh perspectives and ideas on how – by changing our attitudes and old ways of thinking – we can turn a potential negative into a positive. The exhibition will extend into the lobby and courtyard, where visitors can examine the latest technical innovations in sustainable energy production.
Snøhetta: architecture – landscape – interior
Large and Small Exhibition Hall, 10.10.–25.11.2012
Renowned for its innovative, eco-conscious work, the award-winning Oslo- and New York-based architectural firm Snøhetta is featured in a multi-faceted exhibition that offers insights into the design and construction of the firm’s most important works, including the celebrated Bibliotheca Alexandrina built in Alexandria, Egypt, in 2002. The iceberg-like marble-surfaced Norwegian National Opera and Ballet built in Oslo, Norway, in 2008 has already become an iconic emblem of the city. Work is currently in progress on the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion in New York. The exhibition includes films, photographs, drawings, models and interactive learning devices.
Unbuilt Helsinki
Small Exhibition Hall 4.12.2012–24.2.2013
Unbuilt Helsinki is a research studio and model workshop based at the Museum of Finnish Architecture curated by Åbäke and Nene Tsuboi. Drawn from the museum’s archive and beyond, unrealised projects in Helsinki are studied by a team of researchers who generate new relationships with local resources in order to translate the projets into architectural models. Their findings and the narratives behind the buildings are displayed in an exhibition at the museum. Chosen projects include famous landmarks such as Stockmann, unrealised projects such as the planned motorway by Smith-Polvinen, and also projects completely unknown to the wider audience. Unbuilt Helsinki is not a critique to Helsinki. Rather, it displays an alternative vision; another reality and future, an alternative city where ambitious and utopistic visions may come true.
Events
Associated with these and other 2012 exhibitions is an extensive and varied programme of workshops, discussion panels, site tours and lectures by Finnish and international experts. These events will be held in the main museum, at its offsite Kaivopuisto venue (Puistokatu 4), in the WDC Pavilion and on location at the featured sites.
