Stories

In Depth

Phenomena — 2.1.2026

Pilvi Kalhama: “Today’s construction culture is too cautious”

Finland spends too much time calculating risks, says Pilvi Kalhama, director of the Museum of Architecture and Design. This may also be the reason why no major Finnish companies have emerged in the creative industries in recent decades, Kalhama says in an interview with Daniele Belleri.

Phenomena — 17.12.2025

geopolitics

Panu Savolainen: In Finland, architecture has been considered more apolitical than it actually is

Can geology and geopolitics together tell us something about the future of architecture in Finland? The climate crisis has forced us to rethink supposedly timeless elements of the Earth – air, oceans, and ancient sediments as not immutable or insulated from human impact, contrary to extractivist belief.

Research — 10.12.2025

history

Photorealism reveals assumptions and values rooted in architectural culture

Photorealistic perspective images are often disparaged as illustrations and marketing detached from the actual design, even though in reality photorealism is deeply intertwined with architects’ thinking.

Phenomena — 9.12.2025

geopolitics

Finland’s geopolitical position has changed, and it also affects architecture

Finland has joined NATO and relations with Russia have frozen, but the effects of the country's changing geopolitical position on the field of architecture have hardly been discussed. Daniele Belleri, who led the curatorial team for this year's Venice Architecture Biennale, now addresses the topic in his online article series.

Phenomena — 4.12.2025

trends

New Historicism and the Value of Novelty

In recent years, a new type of relationship with history and the use of historical references has emerged in Finnish architecture. Is this merely another way to achieve a new kind of architectural expression, or does it reflect a deeper change?

Phenomena — 3.12.2025

young architects

The New Wave

What kinds of projects and ideas are taking shape on the desks of young architects? Eight architects, teams, or architecture offices present a project that reflects their approach to the built environment.

Essay — 28.11.2025

circular economy

Post-Collapse Architecture

The ongoing ecological crisis, climate change and other upheavals will inevitably change architecture. What will the architectural aesthetics of the future look like?

Phenomena — 1.4.2025

The Fifty-Year Myth

An often-repeated claim in the media and popular discussions is that 1970s buildings were not designed to last for more than thirty or fifty years. Where did this belief come from? Might there be some truth to it?

Phenomena — 1.4.2025

The Fate of Modern Office Buildings

Without a heritage listing, the preservation or demolition of an office building is up to the property owner. The deciding factor is whether the owner can see beyond an outdated mass of construction.

Case Study — 1.4.2025

The Tools of the Master of Light

In Juha Leiviskä’s architecture, the light goes through changes and reflects the passage of time. This impression is created by more systematic design principles than is often thought.

Research — 1.3.2025

The Promise of Medium-Density Housing

A city that provides room for both people and nature might be found somewhere between apartment blocks and detached houses. The Asuma research project gives a new benchmark for optimal urban density.

Essay — 1.3.2025

Photo Essay: In the Shadow of a Spectacle

A great tension in the urban space has arisen in Espoo in the 2020s, between the city built in the 1960s–1990s and the large, bold construction projects that are rapidly demanding the space for themselves. Photographer Henri Salonen has captured the city’s transformation.

Essay — 1.3.2025

Whose Voice Is Heard?

An architect can use their professional skills to ensure that the needs of more residents are taken into account in urban planning. The Elonkirjon kaupunki project develops alternative plans as a means to tackle the shortcomings of both official participation processes and urban activism.

Phenomena — 1.3.2025

Three Cases of Nordic Suburban Renewal

The renovation, infill and renewal of suburban neighbourhoods built during the 1960s and 1970s is a burning issue across Europe. The three examples demonstrate the ways in which this problem has been addressed in Sweden and Denmark.