INARI VIRKKALA PROJECT ARCHIVE

Uusi Kaupunki (”New Town/New Urban”) -collective is formed by young promising architecture practices and the real estate company Hukkatila Ltd.

The collective encourages municipalities and land owners to use architecture as a means of problem solving while increasing the scope of potential customers for architects.

In 2014 Uusi Kaupunki realised the six-episode tv-series "Kaupunki Uusiksi" with Finnish National Broadcasting company YLE.

Uusi Kaupunki -collboration orginates to the idea of Hilla Rudanko, Jussi Vuori and Inari Virkkala.

More information:
www.uusi-kaupunki.fi

Satakunnan Kansa 19.4.2013
”Pori voisi näyttää erilaiselta”

Arkkitehtiuutiset 4/2013
”Uusi tapa tehdä kaupunkia”

Aamulehti
"Arkkitehdit tarttuivat ongelmakohtiin"

REFUGE-workshop aimed at easing the tensions  and prejudices between Hirundo day center for migrant roma and the neighboring residents.

During the two week workshop, which was organized as part of the European Architecture Students Assembly Wastelands in Helsinki, we designed and implemented small improvements to the physical spaces of the center and organized a public celebration in the end.

Workshop had 14 participants from various countries in Europe and was tutored by Noora Aaltonen, Tuuli Kassi ja Inari Virkkala.

More information:
www.facebook.com/REFUGEworkshop

Helsingin Sanomat 28.7.2012
”Romanikeskus etsii uusia tiloja”

Helsingin Uutiset 27.7.2012
”Kerjäläiset juhlivat Pääskylänrinteellä”

Hukkatila Ltd. (”vacant space”) is a real estate company founded in January 2012. Hukkatila ́s mission is to create profit based on better untilization of the empty spaces within our cities.

Hukkatila ́s recent projects include setting up roof gardening farms for Nokia ́s and construction company Skanska ́s HQs. Besides being CSR projects for the companies, the gardens bring business benefits as they are bringing together employees from different departments.

I am one of the five founding partners of the company and in charge of spatial and visual issues.

Hukkatila is a member of the Uusi Kaupunki -collective of six young finnish design practices.

More information:
www.hukkatila.fi

It-viikko 9.7.2012
"Nokian pääkonttorin katolla versoo vihanneksia"

Skanska 22.8.2013
Skanskan kaupunkiviljelykokeilu -  persiljaa ja ruukkubasilikaa

My masters thesis was commissioned by City of Helsinki as part of the work for finding new premises for the city’s oldest refugee reception center in Kyläsaari.

The suggested design for the new center was based on studies on social psychology as the design aimed at empowering the residents in their strenuous position in living in between societies.

During the working process I organized an art walking tour for the residents of the center to provide them with a break from the haunting thoughts of the past.

The thesis was awarded with the best grade and it received two prizes in the fall 2012. It was exhibited in Masters of Arts exhibition in Helsinki in and in the Tallinn Architecture Biennale in September 2013.

Thesis is downloadable from Issuu.com (20MB)

Prizes and exhibitions

2012 Oskari Vilamo fund thesis prize

2012 City of Helsinki thesis prize

2013 Tallinn Architecture Biennale

2012 MOA Masters of Arts exhibition, Helsinki

New ideas for developing the Suvela neighborhood were searched in the student competition organized in junction with Sustainable Building conference in Helsinki in October 2011. Among the 60 submitted proposals ours was awarded with a honorary mention.

Our aim in the proposal was to turn the multiculturality, often seen as a negative point of Suvela, to an asset by highlighting the cultural diversity or the neighborhood in a positive way by buiding an ”ecumenical center” as an attraction to the area.

Our multidisciplinary team of six, Olli Jokinen, Anssi Lauttia, Sara Lukkarinen, Mirja Puoskari, Tuomo Sipilä and Inari Virkkala, consisted of three architects, traffic planner, real estate manager and a sociologist.

All images on the panel on the left were done by Inari Virkkala.

More information:

Sustainable Building 2011
www.sb11.org/sb11-helsinki/competition.html

Competition proposal Suvela02760
www.suvela02760.wordpress.com

Layouts and illustrations for City of Helsinki

2011 Vastaanottokeskustoimintaa selvittävä työryhmä (VOKS)

2010 Vastuullisen alkoholinkäytön toimenpideohjelma

2009 Sairaala-aluevisio 2030