The Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki is hosting an online event celebrating the architecture of Marie-José Van Hee, who was announced as the 15th recipient of the prestigious Alvar Aalto Medal in 2024.
The panel discussion, on Tuesday 9th September at 2.30 British time, will bring together architect Sam De Vocht and Dr Sofia Nivarti, Assistant Professor of Architecture at the Department, to explore resonances between the work of Marie-José VanHee and Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto.
The work of Van Hee and the Aaltos shares a commitment to care: for materials, for ageing buildings, and for the people who inhabit them. Rather than focusing on grand gestures, their portfolios embody a quieter architectural ethos, which celebrates the everyday, the intimate, and the sometimes overlooked. The event invites participants to consider how small-scale renovation, domesticity, and artisanal collaboration can be lyricised through thoughtful design. It opens a space for reimagining architectural legacy as an ongoing dialogue, celebrating continuity, and sparking hope for the future.
Pilvi Kalhama, the new director of Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki, will give the opening words at the event. After the speakers’ presentations and discussion, there will be time for audience questions. Questions may be asked via Zoom’s Q&A function and are read aloud to the speakers by moderators.
Participation details:
Tuesday September 9, 2025, 2.30 pm–3.45 pm (UK time).
The online event will be held on Zoom, and pre-registration is required. Please visit the website of the Museum for more details.