Kide is a design and construction project addressing the need for an outdoor event space in Kuhmo, a city in eastern Finland known for hosting several music festivals each year. The town, surrounded by forests and nature, has a lively tradition of timber architecture and industry. Kide ('ice crystal' in Finnish) references themes related to nature in its form and materiality, through the use of fractal geometry and local timber for its construction.
With its distinct design, the structure will be used by performers as well as local residents in their day-to-day market activities.
Kide is the Wood Program's 30th anniversary project. Each year, students of the program both design and build a project out of timber. This year, the added challenge is an 8-hour drive between our workshop and the site, meaning prefabrication, transportation and assembly need extra careful consideration. Read more on these pages about the design and the team, and follow our process through our blog below or on Instagram!
The Wood Program is a one-year program of study that focuses on wood architecture and industrial building. The program is intended for architects, engineers and other students with a background in design and strong interest in timber construction.