Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and the University of Tennessee told the story of their long-lasting and responsible partnership that creates new things at Habitare Fair’s Ahead design area on 12–16 September 2012.
Their first joint project was the 2008 UTZero prototype house which was developed into the Living Light house in the Solar Decathlon competition in Washington DC. This house has been touring cities in the US, providing inspiration for responsible construction with its solution: all the energy the house consumes is generated by solar panels. Metropolia’s interior architecture students designed the lighting and Tennessee students the interior.
Habitare took a sneak preview of their latest joint project, the World Design Capital year’s Hidden Garden of Lights event, coordinated by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) of Finland. The event displayed several items from a number of people. Students of Metropolia and the University of Tennessee told a story by means of their light installation of a dream of Finnish summer light in the inner courtyards of Helsinki city centre between 29 November and 9 December 2012.
Habitare’s Ahead design area gave an idea of the lighting to be used in the Hidden Garden of Lights event through Nocturne, a lamp designed by Jaana Wahlsten. The design work brought together students from the fields of media, performing arts, industrial design, interior architecture and textile design. Metropolia’s stand 7P21 was designed by Noora Hokkanen and Lotta Blomqvist.