Iines Karkulahti and Meri Wiikinkoski on Placemaking Possibilities

Finnish architects Iines Karkulahti and Meri Wiikinkoski are founding members of the Vapaa Collective, a Nordic architectural group examining the role of architects in the era of the climate crisis. Vapaa Collective designs, writes, curates, and facilitates discussions on current issues with various collaborators, and envisions pathways towards a more environmentally and socially just future through the lens of architecture.

Of the duo-in-residence, Iines Karkulahti represents the urban design expert; her educational background hails to the architectural departments at both Aarhus School of Architecture and Aalto University (where she also currently teaches.) Iines is intrigued by urban utopias, and works as an independent researcher and architectural writer.

Meri Wiikinkoski’s focus lies in blending the art and architectural fields. Currently based in Copenhagen, Meri has studied at Aalto University ini Finland and Geidai University of the Arts in Japan. She describes her interests as; “examining the role of architecture as a form of art in environmental disruption”.

Iines and Meri spent the month of November in New York in residency with the FCINY, and as visiting scholars at the Cooper Union School of Architecture. Though shorter than most residencies at the institute, they describe their time in the city as both full and fulfilling – citing visits to Yale and Columbia University, as well as art museums around both New York City and State.

The institute’s Helmi Korhonen spent an afternoon with the architect duo, exploring the neighborhoods bordering both sides of Houston Street in Manhattan. Beyond the cityscape, the trio explored topics ranging from the obscurity of Finnish midwinter circadian rhythms to the urgent need to reimagine our entire economic system.

“How’s co-living been for you two?” Helmi begins, curious of the simultaneously friendly, intensely casual, yet somehow wholly professional dynamic between Meri and Iines.

After a quick, chuckle-infused glance, a simple answer: “we’ve traveled and worked so much together that we pretty much know each other inside out. It’s been great, and we have a good balance between both working and spending time together and on our own.”

“You’ve spent much of your time – both together and not – at the Cooper Union School of Architecture this month. Could you tell me more about your experience there?”

“We’re at Cooper Union officially under the title of ‘visiting scholar’. This means that over the past month, we’ve had access to a variety of fascinating courses, lectures, and panels at the school,” Meri explains: “we’ve met a bunch of other scholars and professionals, and had super interesting conversations about current topics with them. At the same time, we’ve felt very at home – the critiques of students look pretty much the same as they were for us back in school.”

Iines chimes in: “I’ve also been impressed with how much space there’s been for discussing and studying sustainability at the societal level, which oftentimes involves some quite radical thinking. I think our time has flown by so fast because we’re in such a unique position with Meri; most visiting scholars stay at their respective universities for longer than a month. As so, it feels like our month here is just the beginning; a chance to get inspired by everything. Hopefully we could find ways to keep in touch with our collaborators here, and maybe find a way to continue working together on something in the future…”

“Speaking of inspiration, what do you find most inspiring in your work or architecture in general? Have you found examples of this in New York?”

Meri describes: “For me, architecture comes most alive when it meshes together with art. My main sources of inspiration and interest lie in the experience of architecture itself, whether it be spatial or artistic. There’s a great word in Finnish called ‘rakennustaide’, (literally translates to building + art) which doesn’t really have a well-established translation in English. It begs the question of what art is and what architecture is, and what lies in between the two fields. 

I think my favorite example of this in New York is the Breuer Building in Manhattan. Besides being an impressive build, it also has a rich history, and has housed both the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the past. Right now, it’s home to the Frick Collection.”

Iines adds on: “It’s always hard to choose just one interest or source of inspiration in such a varied field, but I guess I’d say I’m intensely curious about the experience of the city as a whole, or as a set of phenomena. What does (or could) city living entail in a place like NYC, and how do the urban structures encourage or discourage certain ways of living for the inhabitants?”

We continue our walk from a quiet park corner to one of the busiest cross-streets in Manhattan, and Iines points out: “Something I also find intriguing in New York is how fast areas can transform into something wholly different. In just a matter of a few blocks, the experience of architecture can feel completely contrasted from before.”

This contrast is not only apparent in the way the city changes around us, but also in the kinds of days Iines and Meri have spent during their residency. The duo recount stretched out noons on lingering walks exploring the city, but also busy schedules and hurried meetings at Cooper Union. A shared personal favorite pops out too – American Thanksgiving à la Karkulahti & Wiikinkoski – decorating gingerbread turkey cookies in the style of famous artists (find the gingerbread turkey quiz on our Instagram highlight).

Then, time for some wishful thinking: “Your work at Vapaa Collective focuses on reimagining architecture in the era of the climate crisis. If you could swoosh a magic wand and fix something with our current system, what would it be?”

An answer in unison: “We need to rethink our metrics of success. So much of today’s architecture  (and society at large) focuses too much on monetary growth, profit, and consumerism. We need to make success look different; like something that is intensely concerned with sustainability and notions of justice, and willing to celebrate those values.”

“How do you see the role and responsibility of an architect in that paradigm shift?”

From Iines: “I believe that an architect’s role, or more specifically our role at Vapaa Collective is to open up critical discussion about the state of architecture within the field. Architecture is a medium for enabling and mediating new possibilities, and should not be seen as a container. We also need to have the courage to imagine radically different ways of living; ones that question the status quo, and offer solutions to pressing issues. In my mind, architecture can only be interesting when it acknowledges and gives answers to these complex, contemporary issues.”

“Beyond reforming society at large… what’s next for you two and Vapaa Collective?”

From Meri: “New York has certainly given us bucket loads of inspiration and professional connections. It’s always hard to say what’s coming next, but we’re looking into the possibility of extending our essay collection ‘Architects of Disruption’ with guest pieces from people we’ve met on this side of the Atlantic. The publication gathers climate thinkers from within the field to contribute, and aims to draw attention to how complex and continuously undermined problems like global warming and biodiversity loss are – even still within the field of architecture.

So in a way, maybe expanding ‘Architects of Disruption’ will be our way to actually reform society. Or one baby step in that reform, at least.”