BUILDING BLOCKS Vol. 3
When
Where
Contemporary Design, Ceramics Laboratory Course 2026 (MUO-E5041)
For the third year in a row, students in the Ceramics Laboratory course were tasked with designing and producing a “Building Blocks” series. They expanded the idea of a simple brick into a single experimental element that could be repeated to construct larger forms. The results encompassed both utilitarian and artistic concepts. Materials included traditional ceramic bodies—from stained stoneware to paper porcelain—as well as unfired geopolymers. The latter incorporated various experimentalfillers, such as recycled ceramic and glass rejects.
Teachers: Lecturer Nathalie Lautenbacher and researcher Priska Falin
Student assistant: Viivi Hirvikangas
Visiting lectures by designer Milla Ahti-Kotilainen (Wienerberger oy) and doctoral researchers on Mineral-Based Materials and Techniques Luis Huaman and Ville Repo
During the course, we visited the Wienerberger Brick Factory in Koria and met with the artists Maaria Wirkkala at Emma Museum (the Bryk-Wirkkala Collection), Kristina Riska (Arabia Art Department Society), and Jari Vesterinen (Poltettu kuussa Exhibition in Orimattila Art Museum).
Special thanks to our ceramics studio team, led by Tomi Pelkonen, and other Aalto studios!