LIGHT IN JYVÄSKYLÄ –EVENT ILLUMINATES ALVAR AALTO ARCHITECTURE

The world famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto has said: “Let the buildings sleep at night”. It’s not exactly known what he meant with it and if it’s just a legend. But now, the city of Jyväskylä and its co-operators from the architectural lighting field will challenge this thought! The buildings in Jyväskylä University campus area, designed by Aalto, will be illuminated temporarily this autumn. The event will take place from September 28th to October 22nd.

These workshop light installations are part of the Light in Jyväskylä –happening. The event is a visible celebration of Jyväskylä’s strategic aim to become the City of Light in Finland. There will also be a seminar concentrated on lighting design process issues from design to installation and especially on lighting methods on architecturally, culturally and historically significant sites. The seminar is held in Finnish and will not be translated.

The temporary lighting installations of the Light in Jyväskylä 2006 –event are done to the buildings in Seminaarinmäki campus area of the University of Jyväskylä. The area is situated right next to the city centre. Most of the buildings are designed by architect Alvar Aalto and built in the 50’s. There are also some older buildings by architect Constantin Kiseleff from the 1880’s.

The illuminated sites will be:
1) The Gate -sculpture and Kiseleff buildings
2) Main building C (Aalto 1955)
3) Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences L (Aalto 1969-70)
4) Sports halls U (Aalto 1952 – 55) and The University Teacher Training School elementary level
Dormitory K (Aalto 1954)

Illuminations will be realized by luminaire distributors Fagerhult Ltd., Hedtec Ltd, Pejan Ltd. and T.Stenbacka Ltd. and brands represented are Simes, Bega and Erco, iGuzzini and We-ef and Meyer.

The participants of the lighting workshop are students of architecture, lighting design and electric engineering. The aim on the side of technical knowledge is to create future work groups and develop the language between different designers.

This lighting workshop is based on the area lighting master plan done by VALOA design Ltd. in 2006. Because we are dealing with very special and significant architecture the aim of lighting is to bring the buildings forward with a delicate touch. Light is not to be seen, it is to make forms visible.

For more information and inquiries about guided tours around the illuminated campus area and other sites in Jyväskylä, contact the event coordinator Annukka Larsen (tel. +358 400 380 311, firstname.surname@jkl.fi).

Internet: www.jyvaskyla.fi/valo (in Finnish).