Published by Newly Drawn and edited by us, ‘Double Happy – (8+8=19) Views on Architecture in Finland and China’ (双喜: (8+8=19) 份对芬兰和中国建筑的观察) is a publication on placemaking. Juxtaposing Finland and China, it brings together an international group of creative practitioners that wish to stir up the architectural discourse in the two countries – and beyond. Double Happy was released in Finland at Helsinki Design Week in September, and its Chinese edition is out now, distributed together with the October issue of Art and Design magazine (艺术与设计) around China. Enquiries on both the English and Chinese copies: Napa Books. …(more)

The three London OK Talks were held in the mornings of 18, 23 and 25 September at HEL YES! pop-up restaurant and exhibition in Shoreditch. We gathered altogether sixteen creative practitioners from designers, artists and architects to curators and researchers around discussions on the topics of Making Places, Strategies of Participation and Borderlands over breakfast. In addition to the speakers, an audience of around 200 people attended the events. The talks were accompanied by a tabloid paper with introductions to the speakers and the topics, which will be followed by a documentary publication with thoughts, questions and references that came about as a result of the get-togethers. …(more)

OK Talk Helsinki brought together five creative practitioners from architects that build to one that designs systems as well as a researcher and a designer working on cultural activities in the city to talk about the topic of Making Places. Bryan Boyer (Helsinki Design Lab), Hanna Harris (The Finnish Institute in London), Amanda Levete (AL_A), Shohei Shigematsu (OMA NY), Nene Tsuboi (NOW for Architecture and Urbanism) and a professional audience of forty people gathered at ONNI home shop on 4 September, 2010 for a discussion event over brunch. …(more)

Two multidisciplinary architects, Martti Kalliala and Hans Park, set out to explore how a mindset of an architect can contribute to projects in other fields. New Architect’s Atlas is published as part of ‘Double Happy (8+8=19) – Views on Architecture in Finland and China’, a publication by OK Do and Newly Drawn out on September 1, 2010. Welcome to the Double Happy party at the Helsinki Design Week Grand Opening tonight! …(more)

We collaborated with SAFA, Martta Louekari and Tuomas Toivonen by producing communicational material for two Snowball events on Finnish and Chinese architecture. The events were organised as part of Finland’s cultural programme for Shanghai World Expo. Based on our work with Snowball as well as our explorations on making places in Finland and China, we were recently also asked to edit a publication on the topic. …(more)

The principles of quantum mechanics, the study of energy and matter on the subatomic scales, are difficult for the human mind to understand. We are accustomed to reasoning the world on a scale where classical physics is an adequate approximation. But quantum physicists deal with nature in a counter-intuitive way; taking it as absurd as it is, and being concerned with multiple realities. I think I know what they’re talking about, because I have seen glimpses of parallel universes, within the ordinary, stretching my concepts of time and space. …(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)

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)

Having been asked to edit a publication (more information to follow soon) about young Finnish and Chinese views to architecture and placemaking, OK Do spent a week of March in Shanghai. The idea was not only to meet up with local architects and designers but also to take notes on Chinese ways of approaching life (and food). The photos for this story are taken with Qingdao, a local pocket camera from 1989 picked up on the way. …(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)