Suvilahti: Everyday discoveries

Helsinki, 16 degrees




A lot of words in English confuse the idea of life and electricity, like the word livewire. Therefore there must be a connection between the two.

Yet another working week is kicked off! My brochure project is moving at full speed which is very exciting! Even this week includes some interesting company visits that await me so work feels good. How has your week started?

Like I mentioned in my previous post, Saturday was the perfect day for exhibition visits - so we actually did two! Besides visiting Habitare, we also saw an international design house exhibition called "Everyday Discoveries" located, in if you ask me, one of the most interesting parts of Helsinki, constantly under development and change - Suvilahti! This comprehensive presentation of international design showcased not merely design, but also ideas and concepts from more than 20 countries. The exhibition underlying theme was day-to-day life – what is it like in the participating countries, and what kind of solutions to certain everyday situations have people come up with in the different countries.


The exhibition consisted of both parts inside and outside where there were different colored containers that represented the different countries and their design products.


Suvilahti is known for its colorful graffiti wall which is one of the few places in Helsinki where graffiti is accepted and encouraged! I like the fact that graffiti walls are allowed in certain places since they are a form of self-expression.

The part of the exhibition set inside showed e.g. how people set tables in different countries. I thought Iceland's version was interesting with these so called high cups, cups with wine glass stems, designed by Hrafnkell Birgisson.

Source

Norway offered some interesting wooden structures.


In the middle of the exhibition area there was an impressive urban farming construction with was a great constrast to the otherwise industrial containers.


Naturally I loved the Finnish container showcasing Finnish design. I think it's only logical that one understand the design of one's home country the best since one is most used to seeing it and therefore understands how it works. I believe one's eye adjusts to what it sees, but that is why I enjoyed this exhibition so much because it the eye doesn't get new stimuli, it can't evolve and be innovative.


I must say that I felt proud when enjoying the view at Suvilahti - the scenery was so amazing with the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 flags fluttering while the stunning old buildings of the former electrical power plant stand tall, with modern urban farming in front of it - this is urban design at its best!


The section presenting Russian design had an amazing graffiti wall that I just had to get a picture of!


Of course this girl, with a part of her heart left for eternity in Italy, had to find the section showcasing Italian design! And I must say, I wasn't disappointed! I loved e.g. the egg shaped space the section had in front of it! The miniature cars were also super cute, the leather helmets were cool and the Borsalino hats were elegant in the way only Italians can be! This coffee lover, taught to appreciate good coffee in Italy, was also happy about the coffee kettle that was presented in the Italian section of the exhibition. Italy could not be correctly presented without coffee. Oh hell no.


Last but not least, I thought I would delight at least one of my readers with showing some photos of the Estonian section of the exhibition, which consisted out of clothing, shoes, and glasses. Maybe one of my Estonian readers could tell me if these are the best examples of Estonian design?


Which items would you choose to represent your coutry's design at an exhibition like this? How would you describe it in words?

What's your opinion?

  1. thanks thanks thanks for your comment and suggestions, I´m glad you liked the last post, I´m glad for your visit and honest comments, I´ll try to write more about my country... I wanted to ask you about wich camera are you using for your photos, you always show us great photos, so I´m curious... Thanks again and we´ll keep seeing each other ... =)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're so very welcome, I love commenting, and I love as well to receive comments.
      You can read about my camera in my earlier post here http://dragonflyelisabeth.blogspot.fi/2012/06/you-dont-take-photograph-you-ask.html.

      xxx
      E

      Delete
  2. Aivan huippu tapahtuma/näyttely kyllä. :) Olisi ihana päästä tällaisiin useamminkin, mutta oli kiva nähdä edes kuvia sieltä ^^ Tuo paikka on muuten tuttu, kun viime kesänä oltiin siellä Summer Sounds-festareilla.

    Kiitos kommentista! ^^ Se on kyllä ihan totta, että voi kaverustua jne. on netin kautta kummempaakin sattunut. Jotkuthan löytää jopa vaimon/miehen, hehe! :D

    Mukavaa alkuviikkoa! :)

    Satu
    Indie by heart

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oli kyllä! Suvilahdessa tapahtuu koko ajan!

      xxx
      E

      Delete
  3. Sounds like you are busy as always! Everything looks really interesting, especially all of the shoes! I don't know how I would represent my county....hmm!
    the-creationofbeauty.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. well, to be honest I see those clothes, shoes and other goodies for the first time and unfortunately I know nothing about them. but I think I would have chosen something with our national patterns. those items are quite popular.
    oh and our JOIK candles are pretty well-known too, at least in Finland as far as I know (it's crazy but I haven't tried any of those so far. I should though). actually it's such a difficult task to choose the right words or products. but the exhibition looks fascinating and I'm sad we don't have anything similar near my hometown. I will visit a seminary about public procurements next week though and I hope it's interesting.

    Maiken,
    Maikeni blogi - part of me

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh that's too bad, I thought they would have been famous!

      xxx
      E

      Delete

@elisabeth.rundlof