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 ceremony was opened by Antti Ahlava, Head of the Department of Architecture, who presented recent developments in his department. The Department of Architecture is involved in several international construction and design projects, and the students have achieved success in competitions both at home and abroad.

In her speech, the Dean discussed new projects launched in 2012. In many ways, the areas of expertise represented in the School of Arts, Design and Architecture are at the heart of development in the creative sectors. 

'A good example of the impact of our activities from last year was World Design Capital Helsinki 2012, for which our school produced more than 30 projects. I’m sure that everyone noticed the pavilion that was built on an empty lot between the Design Museum and the Museum of Finnish Architecture. It became one of the symbols of the entire year. Students and staff from the Department of Architecture’s Wood Studio were responsible for designing and implementing the pavilion,' explained Dean Helena Hyvönen.

In her speech, the Dean also addressed a useful concept that may have been less visible to the general public: the 365 Wellbeing project, which involved using design expertise to create a link between social and health service production and improved quality.

'These two projects demonstrate the broad-ranging nature of our school. The pavilion challenged the use of urban space in a new way by creating a genuine and inspiring meeting place for city residents. At the same time, the pavilion tested new civil and structural engineering solutions as part of possibilities for wood construction,' said Helena Hyvönen.

'The Wellbeing project lays the foundation for using service design for new ways of producing well-being services. Both of the projects that I have highlighted here show how our school’s disciplines participate in social development and in finding solutions to current issues,' Dean Hyvönen continued.

Awards for theses

Grants were awarded to outstanding students. Vice Dean Ossi Naukkarinen presented grants awarded by the departments to Timo Huhtala and Päivi Kettunen from the Department of Film, Television and Scenography; Simon Örnberg, Ai Ono and Satu Maaranen from the Department of Design; and Sarun Pinyarati from the Department of Media.

Grants were also awarded to last year’s graduates Satu Maaranen and Antti Pesonen for their international achievements. The winning collection by Satu Maaranen, Master of Arts (Art and Design), who won the Grand Prix at the French Hyères Fashion Festival in April, has been widely praised in different contexts. A film directed by Antti Pesonen, entitled Korsoteoria, has gained success ever since its initial screening.

The Metex Foundation Award was granted to a multidisciplinary team of three recent graduates, each of whom has considered the development of passenger ships and cruise services from the perspective of their respective fields of research. The graduates Oliver Parmasto (School of Engineering), Yali Wu (School of Business) and Vesa Ylirisku (School of Arts, Design and Architecture) were praised by Jussi Neuvo, a representative of the foundation, for theirmultidisciplinary and holistic approach to real-life challenges.

For the second time in history, the Graduation Ceremony also included a message from the alumni. This was conveyed by Art Director Jaakko Veijola. Jaakko Veijola has worked in the top advertising agencies in Finland and produced marketing design and branding for many Finnish companies. In addition, Veijola has created works testing the boundaries of art and design that have been displayed in Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, for example.

In addition, the student organisation TOKYO presented the award for Teacher of the Year. The award was granted to Marco Rodriguez, who works as part of the three-person design agency Poiat. At the end of the ceremony, the audience enjoyed the performance The Masters of Life by the group Tärähtäneet ämmät, or Katriina Haikala and Vilma Metteri.