Exploring Pop-up Urbanism Frontiers in Helsinki

POP-UP URBANISM FRONTIERS will take place at the Old Customs Warehouse (Tulli-ja pakkahuone), the hub of Helsinki Design Week, from 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm on Friday 14th September 2012.

“In the World Design Capital year, Finland is buzzing with projects that reflect a new mega trend in urban regeneration that many like to qualify as Guerilla or Pop-up Urbanism. Tired of lengthy planning and permission-driven processes, a new breed of creatives borrowing from art, architecture, design, social sciences, gardening and more is coming together in formal or informal practices to stage innovative interventions that involve local people in participatory transitions. Often ephemeral, even if not always, they can have a cost-effective and lasting impact on the collective psyche that defines the sense of belonging and identity of place.”

Curated by Thomas Ermacora from Clear Village in collaboration with Demos Helsinki, Reality Research Center and Ok-doPOP-UP URBANISM FRONTIERS will be an informal 3h talk-shop to examine the state of pop-up urbanism in Finland, check out the global pulse, and explore how the phenomenon can be turned into an integral component of long-term urban regeneration projects.

We will be joined by an all-star cast of local and global practitioners including Lucy Bullivant, Dodo, School of Activism, Helsinki Beyond Dreams, ADC/ Alternative Design Capital, and many others. So whether you’re a practitioner, an enthusiast, or just curious, join us for what is sure to be a highly inspiring and thought-provoking afternoon.


Picture of poster plants by Sean Martindale.