We are a group of students from Aalto University collaborating with Helsinki Design Museum as part of their upcoming exhibition Design for Every Body / Kaiken kansan muotoilua opening at the Design Museum on April 8. The exhibition looks at the concepts, designs and also critical ideas behind the notion of Finnish design, exploring the potentials of equality.
I participated in the first half of the project, developing the concept and frame work for "Tools for Everyday Needs": the workshop invited people to engage in a curiosity-led process to imagine, draw, craft and build inspiring, inventive ideas and objects that could help take on the world of today. The participatory workshop engages in creative making to expand the notion of what design means and explore ways of imagining objects that tackle our everyday challenges.
What could make your life easier, safer, kinder? What could give hope, fun and creativity to the everyday? A pocket size map that allows you to travel anywhere in the world, a hugging pillow that smells like your loved ones, a portable garden to relax in when stuck in traffic. Or a vacuum cleaner that sucks in all the bad things happening in the world for good. You are the designer!
This is a call to come together, share knowledge, ideas and learn from one another, building relationships and imagining futures together. No prior knowledge of design or arts needed – everyone is welcome to join the workshop! Documentation of the workshop was exhibited at the Design Museum.
Tools for Everyday Needs is a participatory project by Micol Curatolo, Anni Haunia, Elina Julin, Ieva Laube, Henriikka Pöllänen, Valerio Sampognaro, and Jana Siren, in collaboration between Aalto University and Helsinki Design Museum, for the exhibition Design for Every Body / Kaiken kansan muotoilua (8/4/2022 - 1/10/2022).
