Winners of the Builders of the Future design contest announced
02.02.2012
The winners of the Builders of the Future design contest, organised in order to create a monument in honour of the people who contributed to the endowment capital of Aalto University, have been revealed. The first prize was awarded to Aalto University architecture student Ossi Konttinen for his design called Noste.
Currently, only a scale model of Noste exists, but in its final form it will be a 15-metre-wide outdoor monument. The highest point of the monument will be approximately two meters tall. Noste combines shape and light and resembles a fault, a wave or a dune.
- The idea behind the design was turning a new page. I came up with the idea when I was thinking about Aalto University and the fact that we are creating something new, Konttinen explains.
1st prize Noste, Ossi Konttinen
Visibility for donors
According to Jyri Tawast, director of fundraising at Aalto University, the design contest aimed at all Aalto University degree students, members of staff and alumni attracted a lot of attention. A total of 58 designs were submitted for the first round of the contest. The jury evaluated these designs and finally selected ten designs for the second round.
- The donors have an important role in building Aalto University with us and we want to give recognition to their work by creating this monument, Tawast explains.
2nd prize Sattuma, Inni Pärnänen
3rd prize Kolme kuutiota, Ilari Pirttilahti
The second and third prize were awarded to Aalto University alumni. The second prize went to jewellery designer Inni Pärnänen for her design Sattuma. The third prize was awarded to designer Ilari Pirttilahti for his design Kolme kuutiota. An honorary mention was awarded to Ajatustila, a design by industrial design and architecture student Joona Ala-Karvia and architecture student Ilkka Ala-Fossi.
Dean Helena Hyvönen from the School of Arts, Design and Architecture who was also the chair of the jury says that the members of the jury were impressed by the high standard of the designs.
- The assignment was challenging so it was delightful that all the contestants had created their monument in a fresh, bold way. Seeing the monument as a potential meeting place that would improve the community spirit of the university was particularly pleasing. Many of the designs would be perfect works of art for some other context and I would like to encourage the participants to promote their designs and try to find a location for them.
According to the jury, Noste is a beautiful and harmonious design that would make an excellent landmark and enliven the landscape. The fact that it could improve community spirit at encounters at Aalto University was one of the main reasons for its success.
Aalto University organised the design contest in cooperation with the Finnish Association of Designers Ornamo and the Association of Professional Graphic Designers in Finland Grafia. The ten designs qualified for the second round of the contest will be presented at the MoA event this spring.
Builders of the Future design contest is part of Aalto University's World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme.
Text: Tea Kalska
Photos: Mikko Raskinen
Aalto University’s programme for the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 raises awareness of research and education related to the design of living environments. The programme is called Living+. living.aalto.fi
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