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News • Helsinki • Finland • 2012-08-20

University of Helsinki year of design shapes society

The University of Helsinki participates in the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 year by contributing to the cultural, economic, social and ecological development of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area and our living environment in general. Design is seen as a human-oriented way of solving challenges through research and education.

Experience future learning on Siltavuorenpenger

Opening in August (21.8.) on Siltavuorenpenger, the university’s “laboratory for learning” will be offering an opportunity to see and try future learning models that bring together state-of-the-art scientific expertise, learning contents, physical spaces and technology. The laboratory will, among other things, be boasting smartboards equipped with touch screens for drawing and tablet PCs students can use for communicating with their instructors and each other. This learning environment of the future will create conditions for more efficient learning, and with that, contribute to Finland’s continued success in PISA evaluations.

Kaisa: Magnificent architecture meets user-oriented services

The new Helsinki University Main Library will open for all city residents to use on 3 September. Located in the Kaisaniemi district, the Kaisa House represents award-winning architecture and a new kind of learning environment. The recently completed building is an answer to feedback from library users hoping to see more diverse facilities that accommodate a wide spectrum of user needs and learning techniques.

Service design has played a role in improving the library\'s day-to-day operations through a more clear-cut service offering. For example, users now have access to a new digital map application and an improved mobile interface for browsing the library’s collections. Kaisa also offers targeted services to students writing their Master\'s thesis, international students and other user groups. To further improve the library experience, special attention has been paid to making the facilities easy to use. Colour-coded zones indicate the levels of noise acceptable in different areas of the library: green is the colour for social areas, red marks areas for silent study with no noise or disturbance, and yellow is for workspaces where moderate conversation is permitted.

Helsinki for students

Helsinki Summer School, taking place 7–23 August, will add an international feel to our capital\'s student scene, with some 400 to 500 students from over 60 countries attending the summer school\'s courses, which focus on design to honour the WDC year. One place to meet summer school students is the University of Helsinki Think Corner (at Aleksanterinkatu 7), which will serve as their meeting place for the month of August.

The Night at the Campus festival, to be held on 10 September at the Senate Square, will feature an awards ceremony for an ideas competition on student housing. The competition inspired user-oriented and cross-disciplinary visions for future housing for students. In addition to ideas for new concepts, the aim of the competition was to find solutions that would allow the conversion of existing buildings into student residences. In the course of the night, festival visitors will also get to enjoy performances by student bands, choirs and theatre groups, or listen in on science debates.

A greener city – let\'s meet in Kulttuurisauna

Kulttuurisauna, a culture sauna, will open to the public this autumn in Merihaka, Helsinki. Along with bathing, visitors can learn about the University of Helsinki\'s green roofs research project, Fifth Dimension. Kulttuurisauna will have a roof covered with vegetation, or a green roof, which are becoming increasingly popular around the world as a cost-effective means of reducing the adverse environmental effects of urbanisation and climate change. The benefits of green roofs are being studied in connection with preventing the urban heat island effect, the pollution of air and water, flooding caused by heavy rain and/or melting snow, heat waves, and noise pollution, among others.

University doors open to the public – stop by at the Think Corner!

The University of Helsinki\'s Think Corner, located in the heart of Helsinki at Aleksanterinkatu 7, makes top-level research easily accessible to everyone. A meeting point for university staff, students and city residents alike, the Think Corner provides an exciting environment for showcasing the university\'s research, teaching and ongoing World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 projects. The Think Corner\'s programme is built around scientific themes that change every few weeks.

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