BIO

I am a theory, activism and community oriented architect and a doctoral student living in Helsinki, Finland. While I am by nature more theory oriented, I think we planners should aim to represent and act to use our societal position and practice to increase equality and environmental sustainability. As a nonbinary person I have experienced how societal ideologies are transformed into physical restrictions through institutionalized norms. This experience has led me to research institutionalized economic norms in spatial planning and to speak about the norms that create spatial inequality and ecological degradation, especially in rural-urban metabolism.

I am doing my PhD in Tampere University and I have also been active in the You Tell Me -collective since 2020. In You Tell Me -collective and research my aim is to contribute to the paradigm change in the field of architecture and built environment. Based on my research so far I think we should abandon mandatory growth in economy and urbanization and demand change in the economic structures and measurements of success globally, but especially in EU and rich countries. We should turn towards quality of life with less resources. This includes reducing or even stopping new construction of buildings and relocating resources for public/common and accessible transportation, energy, accommodation and ecological production in planetary limits.

Along with my research and activism, my life is merged into artistic practice under the name Ode Ilo. Artistic practice connects me to queer culture, which is the core source of empowerment and joy in my life. By emphasizing that everyone is uniquely different from each other, I support the idea of equality as equity. Equity considers equality of outcome more important because it takes into account and celebrates the differences between individuals.