News

Alusta pavilion moved to the Aalto Campus

The giant insect hotel, Alusta pavilion, has permanently moved to Aalto University’s campus in Otaniemi. Its goal is to reconnect humans and nature, and to tackle the loss of biodiversity.
Alusta pavilion. Photo: Elina Koivisto
Photo: Elina Koivisto

Built of clay and ecological materials, the pavilion creates a non-toxic and easily recyclable environment for the pollinators, plants, birds and other species. Between 2022 and 2024, the pavilion was located in the event courtyard between the Museum of Architecture and the Design Museum in Helsinki, attracting both pollinators and people to enjoy and spend time there.

The pavilion creators, architects Elina Koivisto and Maiju Suomi suggest that promoting biodiversity through land use and urban planning can enhance well-being and help mitigate climate change effects.

Alusta pavilion is a place for encounters between humans and non-human animals in urban space. It is shaped in collaboration with plants, human visitors, natural processes, and the passing of time. 

The aim of the project, carried out in collaboration with ecology researchers at the University of Helsinki, is to increase biodiversity in the urban environment. The project highlights the essential importance of soil and its organisms for the well-being of the ecosystem.

The Alusta pavilion was opened on campus 14 August.

Location: Alusta pavilion, in front of Otakaari 1X, Espoo

A human-friendly, giant insect hotel emerged in the middle of the city

Alusta, built from clay and populated by plants, is a sanctuary for pollinators and a meeting place for all living things

Read more
Tiiliseinä, jonka vieressä vaaleanpunaisia kukkia, taustalle korkeita, vanhoja taloja.
  • Updated:
  • Published:
Share
URL copied!

Read more news

People seated at long white tables with laptops as a man presents slides in a modern classroom.
Research & Art Published:

TexirC Project Results Meeting Held at UPM

The TexirC project partners met at UPM.
Academy Research Fellow Johanna Ahola-Launonen
Research & Art Published:

What counts as rational in debates about technology is political

Techno-optimism and techno-pessimism seem to be surprisingly little about technology
Research & Art Published:

Participate in OECD-EU Research and Development Career Survey

The OECD and EU have joined forces to develop a new international survey of research and development personnel. It takes around ten minutes to complete. The insights it generates will help policymakers and the wider community understand how R&D work is evolving. Taking the time to respond helps build the evidence that guides careers and working conditions - including yours.
Workshop space with tables and machines. A large red prohibition sign is superimposed over the scene.
Campus Published:

Holiday breaks and special opening hours at Arts infra

Special opening hours and exceptions at Arts infra workshops.