Event Info
10th International Alvar Aalto Design Seminar – Checkpoint
Checkpoint! How is the design heritage renewing itself? How will authentic and human design, traditional crafts, and raw design flourish in the age of AI?
The 10th International Alvar Aalto Design Seminar – Checkpoint will be held on Tuesday 10 June 2025 in the Main Building of the University of Jyväskylä (Alvar Aalto 1954–55). The one-day seminar opens up the challenges of today’s design field amidst major global changes. Three topical themes are Authencity, Cohabitation and Evolution.
The seminar’s first speakers are now listed: Designer Ineke Hans (NL); Design professor Ann Light, University of Sussex (UK) and Malmö University (SE); Design lead and entrepreneur Zeynep Falay Von Flittner, Falay Transition Design (FI/TUR); Design historian and curator Kaisu Savola, Aalto University (FI); Industrial designer Harri Koskinen, head of Friends of Industry Ltd. (FI) and CEO Hanna Neuvo, FYRA Design Agency (FI).
Versatile side programme
The seminar side programme on 10 and 11 June 2025 is dedicated to design heritage. This year marks 90 years since the founding of Artek, and thirteen Aalto buildings have been nominated for inclusion to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. The open-to-all lecture connected to Artek's anniversary and “Visibly Invisible – Artek’s Drawing Office 1936–2004” exhibition will be held on Tuesday 10 June by Antti Tevajärvi of Artek 2nd Cycle at the Aalto2 Museum Centre.
The side programme provides also guided visits to Aalto sites, such as Säynätsalo Town Hall and University of Jyväskylä Campus on 10 June and Villa Mairea and Paimio Sanatorium on 11 June (bus tour Jyväskylä-Noormarkku-Paimio-Helsinki). There are limited places for the guided tours, so act quickly! More information and tickets can be found here.