The international Design for Architecture Symposium was established as a discussion forum to continue the spirit of functional and ecological design principles represented by Alvar Aalto. The theme of the symposium is 'Skin and Soul' and the idea is to consider the relationship between surface and content and the importance of this relationship in architecture, design and art. Nowadays the significance of surface is highlighted, transparency has become surface and vice versa - illusion has become content. It is interesting, for instance, how the sense of touch is becoming less important in our culture of objects.
Doors open by themselves, money and keys have turned into plastic cards.
Natural materials are being replaced by plastic imitations. New surroundings are deliberately given a patina to make them look old. Objects have shells that can be swapped, buildings have facades that can be changed. In addition to the symposium an exhibition linked to the theme will be organised in Jyv skyl .