Anna Mikkola, a Berlin designer and friend with a particular interest in books and exhibitions, approached Anni Puolakka and Jenna Sutela of OK Do with an idea of doing a project on the life of publications. As it happened, OK Do was just planning Science Poems, their first book and exhibition, which felt like a natural point of departure for common ventures. So, the three ended up in a discussion about the both. …(more)

The word ‘philosophy’ comes from the Greek word ‘philosophia’, literally ‘love of wisdom’. In preparation of the Science Poems exhibition and book, we felt the need for wisdom and a deep conversation about the role of aesthetics in science. What do art and design have to offer science? How and why should the disciplines be brought together? We sat down with Tomi Kokkonen, a philosopher at the University of Helsinki, to talk about aesthetics as a cognitive and critical tool for science – a tool for depicting subjective meanings and bringing science to life. …(more)

“The new generation of Chinese architects is neither interested in contemporary Chinese architecture nor the western style,” says Zhang Ke, one of the three principals at standardarchitecture, a Beijing office engaged in architecture, planning and design since 2001. “And we don’t want to sell Chinese style abroad, either.” In search of tomorrow’s architectural agenda in China, OK Do talked with four emerging local architects who presented their views on designing in and for the country undergoing rapid growth and massive change. …(more)

Helsinki strives to become a true city – but what is it that makes one? Reflecting on what makes many cities, like New York or Berlin, irresistible, it is their gastronomic offerings we come to think of – city experiences created by gastronomy that comes from all over the world. Wondering about designing an international city by gastronomy, we decided to meet up with some of our favourite restaurant owners of foreign origin or interest. …(more)

Introduced by architect and artist Yukinori Maeda in 1997, Cosmic Wonder is a Japanese art organisation exploring the concepts of light and universal love through three independent projects: COSMIC WONDER art project, COSMIC WONDER Light Source fashion project and COSMIC WONDER FREE PRESS book project with the Zurich publishing house Nieves. …(more)

While in China, we visited the homely Shanghai studio of Singaporean Kok-Meng Tan (b. 1964) and Japanese Satoko Saeki’s (b. 1973) architecture and design practice KUU. Known for their critical design thinking, KUU applies a direct and simple approach across their design and writing as well as their teaching at Shenzen University. We talked with Kok-Meng and Satoko about Shanghai, sharing and encouraging positive chaos. …(more)

Designer Noriko Daishima runs a small shop, café and creative studio in her home in Shanghai. Located in the French Concession, on Xingguo Lu, she calls her place Le Petit Xiaoxiao (small, small, small) and keeps it open for friends and their friends during the weekends. Last Saturday, we visited Noriko for a chat and green tea. …(more)

On the occasion of We Are Helsinki magazine’s style issue, we set out to explore how artists and designers can affect the style of a city. “With spontaneity and magic”, say designer and artist Nene Tsuboi and fashion designer Daniel Palillo. …(more)

Semi-professional design series explores the field of DIY from the perspective of digital tools and resources used for prototyping things that could only be imagined before. Evolving around technologies and platforms, and within multidisciplinary communities interacting with systems and each other, semi-professional design thinking often manifests as playful objects presenting new viewpoints to the world. The third part of the series looks at “useless things, designed with tools that are typically used for scientific purposes,” as Jari Suominen puts it. …(more)

Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby use design as a medium to stimulate discussion about the social, cultural and ethical implications of existing and emerging technologies. OK Do met the duo, both designers and Royal College of Art (RCA) professors, to talk about critical design and their work at the intersection of design, art and science. The interview breaks ground for our forthcoming Science Poems exhibition. …(more)