Latest Student Projects
Emergent by Antti Grundst茅n
These materials that we excavate brutally from the earth frighten, excite and worry me simultaneously. We rarely stop to think the origins of metals we consider human made or synthetic.
Homesick by Emilie Tuuminen
Ground is a state of mind. Homesick represents the processed feelings and mindscapes I went through on this personal journey. Being with the material and working with my hands acted as tools to find my way back to the missed comfort and serenity.
Grounded by Turkka Taipale
How to ground yourself? Instead of pushing forward, what if we would take a look back for a while? Could it help us to go forward? By looking at your personal journey it鈥檚 easier to see the growth. Rather than comparing yourself to others, take a look at the steps you have already taken. This is a tool to map yourself, to visualise your journey, to give more credit to yourself, to watch from the right perspective, to put things in perfect scale. To be grounded.
Clay for the Process by Katr墨na 艩atalova
In my project I put focus on the process of interaction with material. I work without sketches or expectations of the final outcome. My intention is to experience a full cycle of clay, so I prepare it myself straight from the ground. The practice reflects anthropologist鈥檚 Tim Ingold鈥檚 theory on thinking through making.
I Have Always Been Here by Ta铆sa Helena
鈥業 have always been here鈥 is a ceramic and audio installation where women are invited to listen and connect to Mother Earth. The designer embodies the voice of the cosmos, summoning the sun and moon, the elements of nature and the cycle of life in one novel ancient ritual. The ceremony is set around ceramic rings centered by one sphere, that broadcasts the voice of the Earth.
In Search of Serenity by Hannakaisa Pekkala
The hand-sewed surfaces explore the connection between making, crafts and creativity. Focusing on simple crafts can offer calmness, a way to be
grounded and present through repetitive work led by intuition and freedom. The outcome is a dialogue between the fragile, subtle material and the working hands.
One by Roosa Muukkonen
This work was a means to make sense of my own lived experience with a dissociative disorder. Along the way I found out that wholes are not necessarily ones, and that more important than unified fronts are the dialogues in-betweens. Sense of connection creates a sense of common ground, a safe space for change and growth.
The end result is 鈥渙ne鈥 sculpture made of numerous separate parts, coming together to form a whole, held together by their connect.
To Become by Maria Nurminen
This work explores the moment of change. What happens when something comes to a point of its life cycle, where it ceases to be what it was? At that moment, old structures get dismantled and its substance splits into a countless number of particles. These particles then travel where they are taken to, and become a part of something else.
Vessels for the voices of subconscious by Johannes Kaarakainen
The work is a series of sculptures, that give a physical form to a variety of pessimistic inner voices stemming from deep within the subconscious. The beings feed on the feelings of fear, insecurity, frustration, self-doubt and uncertainty. They speak through their synthesized voices, craving for attention and validation, constantly reminding of their existence.
Terra Cognita by Alejandra Alarc贸n
Through an exercise of filtering and curating, Terra Cognita is a landscape composed of multiple fragments encountered while walking around different locations in Finland. The objects reflect on the mistaken idea of the intact landscape and the far from natural scenery that surrounds us.
Terra Incognita: (unknown land) is a term used in cartography for regions that have not been documented.
The designerly approach in material development: a design-led exploration of surplus flowers as raw material by Irene Purasachit
This thesis investigates the design processes of an innovative biobased material from a designer perspective using flower waste in Bangkok, Thailand as the case study. The research adopts practice-led research as the core methodology to gain an empirical understanding of the material development processes while having the Double Diamond methodology as the research framework.
Forest 鈭 a designer's perspective by Saara Kantele
The forest is a widely studied subject in Finland, especially from the standpoints of the forest industry and ecology. However, also a designer is an important link between the material source and the end product or service. Nonetheless, a comprehensive and topical designer's point of view is missing.
This study addresses this gap by aiming to understand the multiple values of the forests and wood as material for the design practices. The goal of the study is also to gather and transmit knowledge and to raise discussion of forests, especially in the field of design. The research question is: how can I as a designer respect forests and wood as a material and apply this understanding to my design?
Identity construction through creativity - exploring and expressing identity through creative work by Liisa Kaunisvirta
Being on the brink of graduation, I wanted to take time to truly explore my identity and ways of expressing it through creative work to make my future wishes and possible paths clear. I have studied in the department of design and my interests within this field have always been in the more artistic ways of working. I am progressively gearing towards a fascination with fine arts, which is why I have faced questions about identity and a need to understand how and what I want to express and what would be my way in creativity.
Education or exploitation? Navigating design internships in a field of precarious work by Lotfi El Salah
The role of internships is becoming increasingly dominant in design education as the primary way for design students to bridge the gap between their formal education and professional work. Moreover, internships have become a typical arrangement for young and not-so-young designers to start鈥攁nd sustain鈥攖heir career. Yet, design interns鈥 reports show that for many, internships tend to be exploitative opportunities for employers rather than educational experiences for students, who often end up uncredited, overworked, and underpaid. Additionally, educational institutions offer little guidance on navigating this precarious world.
Companions for life 鈥 an exploration to the emotional dimensions of inanimate objects by Laura Meriluoto
This Master鈥檚 Thesis 鈥淐ompanions for life 鈥 an exploration to the emotional dimensions of inanimate objects鈥 is a theory-driven study that consists of a written part and an artistic production.
Exploring biochar as a carbon-storing and waste utilizing material in a design context by Emma Sivusalo
This thesis approaches biochar, a carbon-rich product utilizing waste biomass, using experimental design as a method. The research contains a theoretical and a practical part and aims to understand biochar鈥檚 material properties to explore whether applying biochar-based material combinations as an alternative for more carbon-intensive and energy-heavy materials would allow easing up the emissions generated in the production of artefacts.
Modular mold development - From experimental design to product series by Heikki Konu in cooperation with Jukka Jokinen
This research is about the development of the modular glass blowing mold and the usage of the mold for manufacturing glass objects in hot work shop. The modular mold enables countless shapes produced with one mold, which makes the form creation process different from the traditional way. The project is carried out as teamwork; the mold development process, testing and design of the products manufactured are done in full cooperation with Jukka Jokinen and Heikki Konu. The literary work has been divided equally 50-50 between the designers, Jokinen focusing on the mold development and Konu on using the mold in glass blowing process.
We Make Effort. Reflections on feminism, togetherness and practicing in the context of design by Aliisa Talja
We Make Effort enquires into personal experiences of aiming to practice feminism collectively in the context of design. The thesis stems from a place in time coloured by a sense of societal urgency, value contradictions with practicing as a designer, and not quite knowing how to negotiate them. It unfolds some personal, professional and political meanings of engaging with feminist theory and collectivity, as well as the consequent shifts in conceiving practice in the field of design.
Pigments of Microorganisms by Eveliina Juuri
'Pigments of Microorganisms' is a study of microorganisms that are able to produce colourful pigments. Within this thesis work I inspected in depth to laboratory working with the biochemistry scientists and as a designer I implemented a series of material experiments together with the microbial produced colourants.
hashtag #hakolamama, Anatomy of a Finnish wooden chair by Samuli Helavuo
The topic of this master鈥檚 thesis is the design of a wooden dining chair for Hakola Huonekalu Oy. The aim was to design a chair that can be industrially manufactured in the Jurva area in Southern Ostrobothnia. The chair should complement Hakola鈥檚 existing product line in a natural and fresh way, adding more content and value to the customer鈥檚 brand. The choice of topic was influenced by the author鈥檚 need to diversify his product design expertise and challenge himself to design a product that had not been completely designed before by himself.The focus of this thesis was also on increasing professional knowledge of wood materials, wood furniture production methods, the potential of the domestic furniture industry, ecologically and ethically sustainable design and seating ergonomics.