What's going on in your life at the moment?
‘I'm doing well, thank you. I just had a meeting earlier today at Teos publishing house, there's a new book launch coming up soon. The book is about how Aalto University was created, and how such an extraordinary operation was possible at all at that time. For the book, we have interviewed a wide range of decision-makers from the time, including former prime ministers and other ministers, business leaders, professors, alums, students and, of course, fierce opponents.
International cooperation, which is important to me, still continues in many directions. Cooperation with China is not as easy as it used to be, but it is still important, and we need to think about how to take it forward. I am still involved in the development of the Cumulus organisation, and also participate in various competition juries and conferences. There are also interesting collaborative projects such as the very inspiring new national project, Vitality through Culture, which is underway with cultural thinkers and localities. But there is also time for gardening, family, grandchildren and cultural hobbies, I find a good balance between these.’
You have a long career at our university. What kind of memories do you have of your time here?
‘I've had the rare opportunity to do interesting things with so many great and very different people for a long time. Constantly learning new things, developing education and research in many different ways, various international exhibitions and conferences, and big strategic projects – it was a great time! The best part were the people. And, of course, the work that mattered and had an impact.
The idea that I had at the beginning of my studies in the 1960s, that design is important and good for this country, has been a driving force. Although our country is small, it is in this field that we have, through courage and original thinking, reached the top internationally. The idea of the usefulness of design has been important to me, meaning both practical benefits and cultural and aesthetic benefits.
When I began my studies in 1965, there were only a few hundred of us in the rather cosy and shabby Ateneum. Now we sit here in the new, magnificent building of the internationally acclaimed School of Arts, Design and Architecture in the middle of a bustling creative campus. It is an extraordinary story of growth. My memories are full of great people, great ideas, and also results that have touched people.’