Now is the time for 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, June 10, 2025, in Jyväskylä. 30 years ago, at the first design seminar in 1995, the focus was on design quality and craftsmanship – and the user interfaces of the time were Windows95 and Nokia’s early mobile phones. Today, in 2025, it is the use of AI in design that gets people talking, while authenticity, humanity and craftsmanship are emerging as counterforces. On this occasion we will also pay homage to renewable heritage and tradition: this year marks 90 years since the founding of Artek, and 13 Aalto buildings have been nominated for inscription in 2026 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We look with optimism towards a diverse future of sustainable development in design. 

You are welcome to follow the live programme on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the University of Jyväskylä main building. The English-language, hybrid-format day-long event will be streamed to a global audience. Virtual registration is free of charge. After registration the recordings will be available until the end of September. The seminar programme and list of speakers will be published soon in February. Follow news updates.  

Registration for the 10th International Alvar Aalto Design Seminar – Checkpoint is now open at www.alvaraalto.fi/designseminar. Take advantage of Early Bird ticket prices (also student and group tickets) before the end of April for the seminar on June 10, 2025.  

Register also to participate in the side programme! The side programme, for an additional fee, offers guided bus tours to Alvar Aalto’s architectural sites. Included are internationally acclaimed Aalto works nominated for inscription in 2026 as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. There will be also free programme open to everyone. There are limited places for the guided tours, so act quickly! For tickets, click here. 

The International Alvar Aalto Design Seminar was established 30 years ago as a discussion forum in the spirit of Alvar Aalto’s functional and ecological design. The first design seminar in 1995 brought together architects, designers and artisans. At that time, the Design for Architecture seminar was chaired by Finnish designer and interior architect Simo Heikkilä. The 9th International Alvar Aalto Design Seminar – Biosymbiosis in 2022 reached almost 1,100 registered participants from 67 countries. The event is produced by the Alvar Aalto Academy / Alvar Aalto Foundation together with its main partner, the City of Jyväskylä, as well as other partners.

Contact: academy@alvaraalto.fi
www.alvaraalto.fi/designseminar