The works, that are of Finnish Aalto University’s student projects are to be displayed at the Wearable Technology Design exhibition. They represent Aalto University's multidisciplinary approach in which technology, design and art are combined into new types of design concepts and prototypes. Included are, among other things, a shoe that monitors orthopaedic weight, a diving suit that can be heated under water, textile-based user interfaces for listening to music, and outfits that interact with the body and physiology of the wearer.

- Persevering development work in research and teaching has made it possible for Aalto University to operate in the forefront of innovative textiles, says Professor Teemu Leinonen, Vice Dean of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture at Aalto University.

At best, new businesses will emerge from the synthesis of design and technology.

One example of this in the exhibition is LeeLuu Nightlights, a startup company utilising innovative textiles. The idea of a children's night light that reacts to touch emerged from a course on interactive prototyping at the Aalto University Department of Design.  The founders of LeeLuu, Emmi Pouta, Hanna Markgren, Lisa Gerkens and Sagnhyun Ryu developed their business idea at the Aalto Summer of Startups programme for growth companies, winning admission to the TechCrunch Disrupt event in London. The designers are now putting the finishing touches on the production prototype of the toy-like night light.

- The exhibition gives concrete meaning to Aalto University's mission to bring together experts in different fields and to create new skill-based expertise for businesses and growth. Entrepreneurship and networking are increasingly important competitive advantages in international arenas – they support national competitiveness and make ground-breaking research possible.

The exhibition has been curated by laboratory engineer Jussi Mikkonen and researcher Salu Ylirisku from Aalto University’s Department of Design.

The Wearable Technology Design exhibition will take place in connection with the 6th European Innovation Summit at the Altiero Spinelli Building on 17–21 November. The invitation to the exhibition was extended and supported by MEP Henna Virkkunen. The exhibition is open to people working at the European Parliament and to visitors.

Further information:

Professor Teemu Leinonen, tel. +358 50 351 6796, teemu.leinonen@aalto.fi
Professor Pirjo Hirvonen, Department of Design, tel. +358 50 363 6011, pirjo.hirvonen@aalto.fi is present at the opening event in Brussels.

Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Photos: http://materialbank.aalto.fi/Default.aspx

(Picture captions open by clicking the right-hand corner)

Photos: (up) George Atanassov,  Kerttu Malinen

The pavilion area was designed by master's students in spatial and furniture design Natalia Baczyńska Kimberley, Nina Kosonen, and Matti Mikkilä, who drew inspiration from the slogan of this year's fair: FINNLAND. COOL. The aim of the design was to achieve a calming first impression that, upon closer inspection and advancing through the space, gradually opens up to the visitors. The values of the Finnish library, person-centredness and equality, inspired the design team with regards to the intended atmosphere.

The pavilion is made up six rings, which reveal their unique contents, atmosphere, and surprises only once the visitor enters. The exhibits, auditorium stage, and cafe are each situated in their respective ring. The architectural and monumental rings are lightweight and appear to float in the space. The brightness and clean lines of the structures creates a calm environment for the contents of the exhibits.

New Aalto University publications showcased

This year is the fifth time that the Aalto ARTS Books publishing house will be represented at the Frankfurt Book Fair in the Finnish exhibit. For the first time, other academic publishers from Finland will also be represented at the Fair.

Some of the latest Aalto University publications will be showcased, such as the new edition of Professor Pekka Korvenmaa's book, Finnish Design. Korvenmaa's book, co-published with the Victoria & Albert Museum (UK), represents the first time that Aalto ARTS Books' has collaborated internationally. Professor Korvenmaa's involvement in this year's Book Fair also extends to the Fair's design-themed forum, organised by Design Forum Finland.

Representing the works of photographers at Aalto University's, the Helsinki School is set to launch its 20-year anniversary book at the Fair. This celebratory book consists of essays and portfolios highlighting the history of the Helsinki School. The book also offers a glimpse into the future and the ways in which the members of the School are changing the face of photography. The book includes more than 200 photographs and entries from some of the most influential photographic curators in Europe.

Aalto ARTS Books will attend the Frankfurt Book Fair 8—12 October 2014 and can be found at the Finnish publishers' area 5.0 A79.

This year's Finnish theme will see a broad range of Finnish publishers in attendance, a full literary programme, the 2,300 m2 FINNLAND.COOL pavilion, and many other cultural events. This year's event, the largest ever collection of Finnish cultural exhibits, has been coordinated by FILI – Finnish Literature Exchange.

The aim of the project is to research, design, and produce new equipment and extra components for kitchen fittings, as well as food storage, preparation, and serving solutions.

The project's designs focus on the notion of the kitchen as first and foremost being a space for food preparation. Further inspiration comes from people's changing dining and cooking habits, which are simultaneously becoming more internationally and locally-oriented.

According to Aalto University lecturer, Martin Relander, the design process adopted by the project emphasises the ecological and health-related issues associated with food preparation, as well as producing and using organic and local ingredients in a smart and responsible way.

In terms of its fixtures and fittings, the kitchen is one of the most expensive spaces in any home, consuming both a lot of energy and raw materials.

– Using ingredients in a smart and responsible way, separating waste,  and recycling are all important parts of taking care of ourselves and the environment, says Project Assistant Noora Liesimaa.

The results and prototypes produced by the CounterCulture project are on display at the Habitare fair from 10 to 14 September (Aalto University's exhibition section 7p36). In addition to Martin Relander and Noora Liesimaa, Professor Jouko Järvisalo is also involved in the project.

Five entries were shortlisted for the final stage of this year's competition. The competition's May Day theme invited entrants to come up with imaginative designs for objects and structures associated with summer day trips and picnics. The designers were asked to evoke functionality, aesthetic beauty, and fun times with friends and family in their designs.

Jointly organised by the Messukeskus Expo and Convention Centre and Aalto University, the design competition is now in its thirteenth year. This year's head judge was the French architect, Emmanuelle Moureaux.

The judging panel paid particular attention to the artistic, architectural, and design quality of the entries, their functionality and structural elements, and their overall durability and coherence.

Emanuelle Moureaux considered Laura Tourila's entry, Pilvi, which was made from tens of white plastic bags, to be reminiscent of clouds moving through the sky. With its weightless and poetic structure, light filters through Pilvi's air-filled balloons onto the floorspace below.

At the heart of Johanna Brummer and Heini-Emilia Saari's Viivy lies the interplay between light and shade. The design is a picnic blanket that draws energy from the sunlight capturing the shadows of the picnic party and prolonging the evening by emitting a beautiful glow after sunset.

A total of 66 entries were submitted for this year's Habitare design competition. In addition to Pilvi and Viivy, the final was contested by the eventual winner, Havina (Samuli Helavuo, Lahti Institute of Design and Fine Arts), and two other pieces from Aalto University's School of Arts, Design and Architecture (Keinu by Krista Meskanen, Satu Niemi and Annimaija Tarkkanen and Paletti by Saara Inkeri Heikkilä).

The Habitare design competition has a new theme and chief judge every year. In recent years, the themes have been Dreamspace (2013/winner Elina Ulvio),A Private Space (2012/winner Leo Lindroos), Outhouse (2011/winner Yoshimasa Yamada), Recycled Seat (2010/winners Arttu Kuisma and Janne Melajoki) and Sauna (2009/winners Ville Hara and Anu Puustinen). Previous head judges include Boris Berlin, Mikko Heikkinen, Alfredo Häberli, Sami Rintala, and Juha Leiviskä.

Further information:
Timo Sairi, Competition Secretary, Aalto University, tel.  +358 040 582 6505, timo.sairi@aalto.fi

The theme of this year's Frankfurt book fair is Finland. There was a strong desire to visually bring education to the fore via the fair's theme, with students being involved right from the design phase.

The visual look of the book fair, FINNLAND. COOL., is the work of Aalto University graphic design students Jinhee Kim, Anssi Kokkonen and Tommi Leskinen. The 2 300 m² pavilion area was designed by spatial and furniture design master's students Natalia Baczyńska Kimberley, Nina Kosonen and Matti Mikkilä.
 
The pavilion design drew inspiration from the FINNLAND. COOL. slogan: the aim of the design was to achieve a calming first impression that, upon closer inspection and advancing through the space, gradually opens up to the visitors. The values of the Finnish library, person-centredness and equality, inspired the design team with regards to the intended atmosphere.

The pavilion is made up of six rings, which reveal their contents, atmosphere, and surprises only once the visitor enters. The exhibits, auditorium stage, and cafe are each situated in their respective ring. The architectural and monumental rings are lightweight and appear to float in the space. The brightness and clean lines of the structures create a calm environment for the contents of the exhibits.
 
The pavilion is home to the Finnish literature programme at the Frankfurt Book Fair from the 8 to 12 October 2014. The Finnish literature programme begins in German-speaking Europe next week, at the Leipzig Book Fair and continues until the end of the year.

Further information: FILI – Finnish Literature Exchange

First-year Furniture Design master's students designed and produced some twenty different steel chairs last autumn. The chrome-plated chairs will be on display at the De Steel stand - which was also designed by the students - in the Green House section, which showcases up-and-coming designers, at the Stockholm Furniture Fair, 4-8 February.

Students had to design and produce a prototype chair using thin steel tubing and steel wire. They approached the task with open minds and subsequently created a collection of metal chairs that are diverse in structure and design.

The students' end results are very close to the real world, though the purpose of the exercise was not just to produce attractive and functioning products.

‘A successful workshop and good technical equipment and facilities make it possible to develop and experiment with knowledge about materials, but at the same time students also develop their own design philosophies. The end result is design that stands out and attracts international interest,’ says furniture design professor Jouko Järvisalo.

An international group of sixteen students took the furniture design course. In addition to Finnish students, other students on the course came from Norway, Turkey, Brazil, Australia, the United States, Russia, Taiwan and Japan. The students were guided by Professor Jouko Järvisalo, Lecturer Martin Relander and Assistant Noora Liesimaa.

The dazzling chrome plating on the chairs was done as a business cooperation project by Arvo Piiroinen Oy in Salo.

The De Steel display will be at the Green House section of the Stockholm Furniture & Light Fair, 4-8 February 2014.

The world’s first textile product made from Ioncell cellulose fiber as well as other results yielded by research programs will be introduced at a seminar to be held by the Finnish Bioeconomy Cluster FIBIC Oy on November 20, 2013.

New solutions for utilising fiber-based material in the textile process attract global interest. “The production volumes of cotton cannot keep growing due to the volumes of water and cultivation area it demands. On the other hand, viscose is problematic because of the highly toxic chemicals used in its production,” says researcher Michael Hummel at Aalto University.

Answers to market needs

The process and textile fiber created in the research program open up new kinds of markets for the Finnish forest and garment industries. Finnish cellulose mills provide the new Ioncell fiber with high-quality raw material. “We are still studying the properties of cellulose with the aim of initiating pilot projects that exploit the new process, in cooperation with business enterprises. There’s a growing market for an environmentally friendly textile fiber out there,” says Hummel.

The new manufacturing process for turning cellulose into quality textile fibers is more ecological than the process employed in traditional viscose production. In addition, the textile fiber produced with the new processing method based on ionic solvents, developed at the University of Helsinki, is clearly stronger than viscose.

“The research has improved the production process and allowed us to create an environmentally friendly product with first-class properties. The Ioncell fiber is ecological and an excellent alternative to cotton and viscose,” says Hummel. The research was conducted as part of FIBIC’s FuBio Cellulose research program.

Cooperation across industry borders

The new textile fiber developed by Aalto University can be refined into a high-quality end product. In cooperation with the University’s Department of Design, the cellulose fiber was worked into a textile sample.

“I designed and produced a piece of clothing which showcases the material. The new material has an excellent capacity for reproducing shades and it’s surprisingly easy to work with,” says Marjaana Tanttu, who is studying for her Master’s degree in Textile Art and Design.

Aalto University is a diverse community of arts and sciences, bringing together the disciplines of technical science, economics, and industrial arts. The collaboration in the FuBio Cellulose program provides a good example of the university’s diverse activities.

“New opportunities and products call for open collaboration that goes beyond organizational and country borders,” says Professor Herbert Sixta of Aalto University.

The winning collection by a recent Aalto graduate, Satu Maaranen, M.A. (Art and Design), who won the Grand Prix at the French Hyères Fashion Festival in April, was included in the show. Näytös13 also presented a new men’s collection by last year’s Hyères winners Elina Laitinen, Tiia Sirén and Siiri Raasakka that will also be displayed at the Paris Men’s Fashion Week.

The Pre Helsinki event took place on the second to last week of May. Näytös13 and the Creative Currency seminar held on 23 May were part of the new week of fashion events organised in Finland.

Promising young designers acknowledged

The Näytös13 joint award was presented by Minna Kemell-Kutvonen from Marimekko and Mia Dillemuth from Gloria. The award,worth EUR 1 200, went to Anna-Mari Leppisaari. Her collection was deemed an excellent concept.

The Diesel Award, worth EUR 1 500 was granted to Sophie Sälekari.

'It has been a pleasure and an honour for me to have had the opportunity to present the Diesel Award for several times already. This year, the award is given to a designer with a collection that is daring and ironic and also represents the essence of Diesel,' commented Diesel’s representative Heikki Salonen.

For the first time, the jury for the shared Aalto Award consisted of international guests. The award was presented by Curator Karen van Godtsenhoven from the Momu Fashion Museum and Editor Daniel Thawley of the fashion magazine A Magazine Curated By.

'The award belongs to Sophie Sälekari. Her use of materials in the collection is admirable, and her work is brimming with elegance,' van Godtsenhoven and Thawley explained the jury’s decision.

Further information:

Tuomas Laitinen, Lecturer
Fashion and Clothing Design
tuomas.p.laitinen@aalto.fi, +358 (0)9 470 30357

The panelists, who work in various areas of the industry, included Marc Ascoli, Michel Gaubert, Jonathan Anderson, Luis Venegas, Benjamin Bruno and Karen van Godtsenhoven. The discussion was moderated by Daniel Thawley, the editor in chief of the fashion magazine A Magazine Curated by.

In an industry with a challenging environment and a constantly changing market, combining creativity with business is not always easy.

– Fashion designers have to adapt to a changing environment and take other positions upon themselves, which they have not previously had to embrace. The ways in which businesses are communicating and connecting with people is also developing, said Professor Pirjo Hirvonen, Head of the Department of Design in her opening speech.

– Fashion is a part of creative industry. It would be good to elaborate on what is required from a business in the fashion industry and in what ways they have to adapt to the quickly changing digital age.

Facilitating New Talent

It was agreed upon by the panelists that fashion competitions and awards serve as a means of support for new designers in making a name for themselves, as well as receiving financial support to begin working on their next collection or start a business. Without financial support, manufacturing the designs and filling orders is not possible. The power and success of collaboration among designers was also discussed. Taking risks with trustworthy people is important to succeed in the industry.

– Finding a working rhythm with enough challenges, which doesn’t exactly give us what we need, is the key to innovative design, the founder of the renowned fashion house Atelier 32, Marc Ascoli, described.

In recent years Finland, and especially Aalto University, has brought creative and skilled desingers to the industry. However in most cases the designers continue their work abroad. Jonathan Anderson believes the reason for this could be Finland’s lack of prominence in the fashion industry.

– Finland’s name and talent need to be made more visible to the industry. Once this has been achieved, collaboration with other designers is essential to bring the same markets here, Anderson suggested.

The winners of the Grand Prix at Hyères Fashion Festival Grand Prix 2012 and 2013 have been from the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture. The competition is known to be a significant beginning point for young designers.

– It cannot be a coincidence that students from the same school have been awarded in international competitions two years in a row. The teaching at our school versatile and prepares the students for the industry, which has been demonstrated in these competitions, says Pirjo Hirvonen.