Masters of Aalto takes over Jätkäsaari
26.06.2012
The Masters of Aalto festival, which has grown into an event encompassing the entire Aalto University, drew visitors throughout May to the exhibition featuring the future's professionals.
In addition to the exhibition, the festival included public events, seminars and workshops. A 100-year-old harbour warehouse designed by Lars Sonck functioned as the exhibition space in Jätkäsaari.
The warehouse, which proved a magnificent location, offered much to see for the 10,000 people who visited the exhibition. Nearly 3,000 people also took part in the events organised alongside the exhibition. The greatest draws were MoA Slam, a seminar co-hosted by UNICEF that featured science in a completely new way, as well as the Designing for Sustainable Future, a seminar co-organised by the Hjelt Foundation, at which top names in urban design discussed future cities.
In September, during Helsinki Design Week Master’s theses can be viewed at the Kiseleff House, where some theses will be shown as part of the Masters on the Road tour. Excerpts from Masters of Aalto masters’ theses will also be featured at Radical Design Week in Shanghai, China later in the autumn.
Expertise from Otaniemi
One of the nearly 100 masters’ theses featured at MoA’ was that of Maija Liiri, who is graduating as a Master of Science in Technology. Masters of Aalto, which is founded on the traditions of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, has grown into an event encompassing the entire Aalto University. This year’s MoA also featured an excellent sampling of the future professionals of business and technology.
In her thesis, Maija Liiri examined the properties of a new plywood product, which is said to be the most revolutionary innovation in the plywood industry for some 30 years.
Ms Liiri is emphatic that she has not felt like an outsider among the graduates of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture. On the contrary: she encourages all Aalto University students of technology to show a bit of daring and apply for next year’s MoA.
- It has been both exciting and interesting exhibiting my own thesis as a part of a large exhibition and event. We were given quite a bit of freedom in deciding how to present our theses, but were also given assistance whenever we needed it, Maija Liiri says.
Challenges and good vibes
Tuomas Tikka, who graduated from the School of Electrical Engineering, completed a thesis that was related to the Aalto-1 student satellite project: the topic was Altitude Determination and Control System Implementation for 3-Axis-Stabilized Nanosatellites. This is the first Master’s thesis on this student satellite project.
- At first, I felt somewhat conflicted about taking part. Presenting a scientific work in an exhibition seemed very challenging, and the personal benefit for featuring the work quite insignificant. However, I decided to participate, tells Tuomas Tikka.
- I was positively surprised by the reception. Everyone was very interested in my work and the project and ready to help in organising things. The arrangements for the exhibition came together easily, as there was already a miniature model and videos of the satellite, Mr Tikka continues.
- This event was also the first time during my studies that I was able to see on a broader scale what is being accomplished in Aalto's other schools and the type of people who study there. It would be interesting to have this eye--opening experience at the early stages of studies, especially if the university wishes to promote cross-disciplinary studies, Tuomas Tikka ponders.
- All in all the experience left a good vibe, and I am happy I decided to have a go at it!
MoA’12 is part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme and included in Aalto University’s Design Capital Living+ programme.