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Event Info

Jyväskylä University Main Building
Jyväskylä / online

Organized By

Alvar Aalto Academy, Alvar Aalto Foundation, City of Jyväskylä

16th Alvar Aalto Symposium: The Weight of Architecture

Illustration picture for an event

Alvar Aalto Foundation

What is the role of architecture and design amidst ecological crises, catastrophes and political upheaval? Can design make a difference, solve problems, and bring any radical change for the better? How much does architecture weigh when the future of the entire planet is at stake? The 16th Alvar Aalto Symposium is a hybrid event, held onsite in Jyväskylä, Finland, and online for a large international audience around the world.

The two-day symposium held in English will present three themes: ENVIRONMENT, RESOURCES and ARCHITECTURE. The symposium will be attended by leading international and Finnish speakers, with a programme comprising discussions, networking, side programme, and Aalto’s architecture set amidst a wonderful lake scenery in Jyväskylä, Finland. The event is organised by the Alvar Aalto Academy and Alvar Aalto Foundation together with the City of Jyväskylä and other partners.

Archinfo will host a talk in the Symposium programme on Friday 23 August at 3 pm when we will hear about exhibiting care and repair. The speakers are architects Matti Jänkälä and Ella Kaira, curators of the Pavilion of Finland at the Biennale Architettura 2025, and architect Kaisa Karvinen, curator at the Museum of Finnish Architecture and Design Museum. The discussion will be moderated by architect Miina Jutila, Archinfo's Head of Communications.

See the full programme here.

The 15th Alvar Aalto Medal will be awarded during the symposium. An exhibition by the new medallist will be shown at the Aalto2 Museum Centre until the end of 2024. This internationally prestigious architecture prize is awarded jointly by the Alvar Aalto Foundation, Finnish Association of Architects, Museum of Finnish Architecture and Design Museum, Finnish Architectural Society and the City of Helsinki.

More information about the event and tickets can be found here.

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