The theme and speakers of the first Alvar Aalto Café seminar, to be held in August, have been confirmed. During the two-day event, the audience will have the unique opportunity of hearing six top talents in architecture and design from different parts of the world. The theme of the Alvar Aalto Café, Abundance, was conceived by the chair of the event, Anne Stenros. The event, which is open to the public, will be held from 30 to 31 August in Jyväskylä.

International Alvar Aalto Café 2014.

“The theme allows us at the Alvar Aalto Café to explore how human architecture brings people together and changes our social environment. A common thread running through all the speeches is how to design a good future”, says Stenros, Aalto University professor and design director at Kone.

The speakers at the event include the professor of architectural theory and criticism at Harvard University, Sanford Kwinter, and the Australian transport planner Rachel Smith. The floor will also be taken by the architecture critic and curator Marco Brizzi, and by Klaas Hofman from the MVRDV architecture and urbanism practice. A professor at the Polytechnic University of Milan, Luisa Collina, and the interior architect and designer Esa Vesmanen will elaborate on the theme from the point of view of design.

“As the name suggests, the Alvar Aalto Café does not follow the traditional form of a seminar with speeches. Instead of stiff speeches, the event is intended to be an interactive and inspiring experience for the speakers and audience alike. We expect to see both industry professionals and other enthusiasts among the attendees”, says the director of the Alvar Aalto Academy, Esa Laaksonen.

The event will be organised by the Alvar Aalto Academy. The speeches will be free and given in English.

For more information on the Alvar Aalto Café, please visit the website at http://abundance2014.splashthat.com/

More information:

Esa Laaksonen, director, Alvar Aalto Academy, esa.laaksonen@alvaraalto.fi,
tel. + 358 50 555 7330

Annukka Pakarinen, communications, annukka.pakarinen@alvaraalto.fi,
tel. + 358 50 381 0143