Olli Hakanen

Olli Hakanen’s  main interest areas in the field of architecture can be located in urban culture, co-creativity and their relation to designed spaces. Hakanen founded his own architectural and consultancy office already over 20 years ago, after having worked as a project architect for several companies for 20 odd years before that.

One of the latest development projects that Hakanen has been involved in was a set of events titled “Entä jos, Helsinki?” (What if, Helsinki) in 2013­–2014. The project aimed at demonstrating the possible new forms that the re-organization of cultural activities and commuting could yield in a city. What if commuting would be part of your working day, was one of the questions with which the project prompted to re-imagine new structures for city planning.

Hakanen is also an active lecturer in architecture. His know-how covers a variety of topics, ranging from creative workspaces and enabling innovations to clever consumption of space and resources in the urban environment.

Olli Hakanen is FCINY’s artist-in-residence for November and December 2015. Related to his recent projects concerned with re-thinking the urban structure, he will be observing urban culture and ideating architectural concepts applicable to Helsinki. The methodology – observing, documenting, recording and interviewing – derives from the observation-based foresight of possible future scenarios.

It is of Hakanen’s interest to work especially from pedestrians’ and cyclists’ point-of-view, as they cover the everyday phenomena diversely, and from the human perspective. Moreover, questions such as how to construe the use of ground in a manner that enables the vitality of the neighborhood are asked throughout Hakanen’s research. Issues of urban presence, mobility and their entwinement, and how they could be best enacted in the future, will be explored during Hakanen’s two-month stay.