Museum of Finnish Architecture

The central meeting place of the design capital is a wooden pavilion designed by Aalto University students, and is being built in the courtyard area between the Design Museum and Museum of Finnish Architecture. The activities at the museums will also be expanding into the courtyard and onto the street level.

The pavilion is scheduled to open after May Day 2012 and will host all kinds of activities – workshops, top international and domestic addresses, comments on other design capital repertoire, and various campaigns.

The Museum of Finnish Architecture’s entire offering for 2012 is part of the design capital programme. The main themes of the museum’s repertoire are the environments we live in and sustainable development. The year will kick off with the Seven Connections video work and exhibition, which presents Finnish architecture in other countries. The latest recipient of the Alvar Aalto Medal will be presented in February. In March, the museum will be taken over by a cross art project called Building the City, which gives children the opportunity to learn about architecture and urban planning through opera, performances, short films and visual art. Shorelines – Urban Living by the Water will open in March and present residential areas built near the water in the cities that are part of WDC Helsinki.

The summer will mark the publication of the Biennial Survey of Finnish Architecture, which is being compiled with new methods. Another summer exhibition Change provides perspective on the impacts of planning, implementing and using a sustainable built environment and the opportunities for retaining the viability of our planet.

In the autumn, the museum will be hosting an international touring exhibition from the Snøhetta architectural agency, a company that has gained global recognition for buildings that include the Alexandria Library and Oslo Opera House. An extensive and varied programme is associated with these and other 2012 exhibitions.