HDW HOP 2018: City Cradle creates action and trust among strangers
Unfortunately City Cradle installation will be postponed until next year.
The HDW HOP series presents installations that enliven the city centre during Helsinki Design Week from 6 to 16 September 2018.
Major urban installations take over the city once again during Helsinki Design Week. The installation series consists of works by Finnish and international designers and architects. Each installation has its own way of looking at the Helsinki Design Week 2018 theme, TRUST.
All installations and their designers are presented at Helsinki Design Weekly.
The second installation to introduce is City Cradle, created by a multi-discipline team of architects Emmi Keskisarja and Janne Teräsvirta and master cabinetmakers Antrei Hartikainen, Heikki Paso and Tommi Alatalo.
The installation is part of a longer-term development, by which the makers approach wood construction updated to modern times while carrying some of its traditional lessons learned over to the future.
Those visiting City Cradle share a labile space and can influence it together.
“In the same way, interaction between people takes place in any scale from two person’s encounter to the meeting of entire planets: we influence each other whether we like or not – and peaceful coexistence requires trust.”
CLT Plant Oy is a partner to supply materials to City Cradle.
Who is behind the installation and what other projects has the team done?
The installation is created by a multi-discipline team of architects Emmi Keskisarja and Janne Teräsvirta from Architects & as well as master cabinetmakers Antrei Hartikainen, Heikki Paso and Tommi Alatalo. This team has previously carried out a wood installation on the Seurasaari island and worked on the wood-related KIRA-digi research project as well as designing standardized housing.
How did this installation get started?
The idea originated in Helsinki Design Week’s theme TRUST and our will to bring modern wood construction’s potential genuinely close to people. The results related to experimental construction will be open data to all. The larger objective behind this idea is to promote openness in developing solutions for the building and construction field.
On the other hand, the installation is part of our longer-term development work. We have pondered how to update wood construction methods to modern times while carrying some of the traditional lessons learned over to the future.
All of the HDW HOP installations approach our this year’s theme, trust. How does your installation embody the theme?
The people visiting City Cradle will share a labile space and also directly influence it together. In the same way, interaction between people takes place in any scale from two person’s encounter to the meeting of entire planets: we influence each other whether we like or not – and peaceful coexistence requires trust.
Why should people see your installation?
The installation is worth testing, in particular: the movement and emotional involvement with strangers will hopefully create memorable experiences. Its processed wooden surface is best experienced by touching.
How can we use design to enhance trust and openness?
By designing and building premises, objects and structures that encourage people to face each other. The unfamiliar is scary to all of us, but learning about it brings along trust and enables openness and honesty. This, on its turn, brings wisdom to the world.