Aallonharja

TEAM PORTRAIT

INTERVIEW
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1. How do you define the main issue of your project in relation with the theme “Living Cities Imagining architecture taking care of the milieus”? And in which way do you think your project can contribute to an ecological and/or social evolution?
An architect’s role in society today is similar to an ecological activist – one has to fight for designing considerately for all living organisms, not only for humans. Our project, Aallonharja, proves that a minimal design based on human needs can enhance visitors’ experience, all while protecting the natural milieu of the Finnish archipelago. There is no justification to keep ruining the environment just to improve tourism, as it has been done before.  

2. How did the issues of your design and the questions raised by the site mutation meet?
The nature on the islands is fragile, so we studied different solutions for unintrusive construction. We avoided the need for heavy machinery and used only lightweight structures, which led to the final scale and materiality. To save as much nature as possible, we used adaptable foundations on land and made the toilet cabin float on water next to the landing jetty. We used an iconic shape and colour to make Aallonharja distinguish itself from existing private cabins.

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