Seurasaari Bench

Seurasaari Bench is inspired by a hay cabin in Seurasaari, made of materials from the island and designed to co-exist with the island’s plants. The cabin shows how humans approached different materials and shapes, the inherent characteristics of the materials, and then how the building co-exists with plants on the island. It is a sensory and physical process of making. Making is always my motivation. Making allows me to engage with things, to understand, to notice, and to express my feelings. I understood the cabin and engaged with the island through making, not just imagining. Through making, I thought about how we can think about the co-creation of the island's landscape. The bench is characterized by the performative building of branches with natural forms. It transforms my relationship with the island, my feelings, and my memories into shared ones.