News

Stage design competition

Published: 14.12.2023

Each student designed a proposal for the new stage. The proposals were presented to representatives from Kuhmo City Council, and one concept was selected for further development.

Animated image showing different proposals for the stage — 1:200 scale models of the proposals

Design competition

There was great variety between the proposals, with some focusing on form, others on process. Some ideas that were explored:

Referencing local industrial and cultural heritage such as Kalevala stories
Evoking the feeling of trees and the forest, bringing nature into the city
Using side stream products from local wood industry such as off-cut CLT and roundwood
Structures that play with light, both during night- and daytime

At the end, a selection was made based on a range of criteria, including relation to local context, innovation in use of wood, usability and functionality, attractiveness, feasibility and durability.

For ease of comparison, each of us made both a 1:200 model to test the scale related to the surroundings, and a 1:50 model to show more detail.

A student is given a handshake by a city representative while other students applaud

Student Juri presenting her proposal for the stage

Photo of 1 to 50 scale models of all 17 proposals for the stage

Each student presented their work to representatives of Kuhmo city council, teachers and fellow students

Models were made at 1:50 and 1:200

Student Meina Kobayashi is congratulated on her winning design, Lumilyhty.

The winning proposal was Lumilyhty. This design proposal was based on a Nordic tradition of making lanterns out of snowballs. Conceptually, the stage is to function as a lantern in dark days, especially during long Finnish winters; which was expressed architecturally through a timber structure resembling hexagonal snowflake geometry.

Elevation drawing of the Lumilyhty proposal, showing an open structure with fabric hanging roof.

Sketch drawing of a young person sitting in front of a pile of snowballs, called Lumilyhty in Finnish

Sketch drawing showing the stage as a place where people gather, as well as a lantern in the dark

Some slides from the presentation of Lumilyhty

Photo of scale model of Lumilyhty with sketched over tarp roof

Some slides from the presentation of Lumilyhty

Student Meina holding up a wooden scale model of her design proposal, with two orange peels figuring as improvised roof

1:50 scale model

Elevation drawing of the Lumilyhty proposal, showing its crystalline design

The Lumilyhty design was initially presented with no roof structure. Here the scale model is shown with some sketch ideas for roof geometry...

Front elevation

Side elevation

Lumilyhty will be developed into its final shape over the next few months. As the design has many aspects that need to be addressed, it is likely its appearance will change quite drastically. This will also allow the entire student group to contribute to the design.

Back to blog overview