Muotohuoltamo Centre is a new meeting place in Lahti

Helsinki is World Design Capital 2012 together with the cities of Espoo, Vantaa, Kauniainen and Lahti.

The central meeting place of the WDC Helsinki 2012 in Lahti is the Muotohuoltamo Centre (previously Design Station), which is a venue for local, Finnish and international design. Lahti Muotohuoltamo Centre is a place where everybody can acquaint themselves with the activities of the WDC Helsinki 2012.

“Lahti has incorporated design in the city’s strategy in an exemplary manner, and the role of design in boosting competitiveness is well understood,” said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, Chairman of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 Committee at the Muotohuoltamo Centre’s opening ceremony on Monday, June 6th. “This connection is enhanced further at the Muotohuoltamo Centre with a new kind of, welcome meeting place for people, the city and corporations.”

Lahti’s activities in the WDC Helsinki 2012 programme focus on design in the development of the urban environment, sustainable development in industrial design, and design education. In addition to the City of Lahti, the programme is implemented by Lahti Science and Business Park, Lahti University of Applied Sciences and its Institute of Design, The Arts Council of Häme, and other organizers including associations, corporations and private individuals.

World Design Capital Helsinki 2012’s activities on view

Lahti Muotohuoltamo Centre has already hosted events and programmes. During the spring of 2011, the station hosted a drinking-water station exhibition, which presented results of the WDC Helsinki 2012 Ideas Forum, an exhibition of packaging design, and the Design Institute’s diploma works exhibition. In June, the Arts Councils of Häme and Helsinki Metropolitan Region will organize here cartoon happenings together with The Finnish Comics Society. Requests for exhibition space and times for the rest of 2011 are accepted through June 15th.

Lahti Muotohuoltamo Centre is housed in a former service station building dating back to 1931, a white functionalist building. Located at Vesijärvenkatu 7, the station is open from 2 pm to 6 pm Tuesdays to Fridays, and from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays.