siiri hänninen
she/they
Siiri is based in Helsinki and works site specifically in the intersections of architecture, art, activism and event production. She is interested in bringing people together around urgent social, ecological, and political questions. Siiri’s artistic work is deeply entangled with ecological thinking, environmental justice and deconstructing dominant power structures. Over recent years, a central focus of Siiri’s practice has been forests. Siiri is working around them both as an architect and activist through an alternative urban planning initiative Entangled City, and as an artist, curator, artistic director and founder of the Soiva Metsä Festival. Siiri graduated as an architect from the Aalto University in 2023.
Current work:
Co-creative director of Soiva Metsä Festival, taking place biannually in Suomussalmi, Northern Kainuu, Finland. The project includes a residency program.
Urban planner at Entangled City developing alternative urban plans for forest dispute areas.
Education
Aalto University, Master Studies, Architecture, Helsinki, 2021–2023
Independent School for the City, Dirty Old Town, Rotterdam, 2021
Aalto University, Bachelor of Science in Technology (architecture), Helsinki, 2017–2020
events
Soiva Metsä Festival, creative co-director with Maija Kovalainen, 2023–
Soiva Metsä Residency, Suomussalmi, Finland, 24.6.–1.7.2026
Soiva Metsä Winter Writing Residency, Suomussalmi, Finland, 27.1.–1.2.2025
Soiva Metsä Residency, Suomussalmi, Finland, 30.6.–6.7.2024
Unelmien Heinola Festival, creative team, 2020–2021
Ei mikään klubi, creative team, 2020
artworks and exhibition
Maansiirto, Elävien muotoilijoiden seura group exhibition, Fiskars 2025
Kuunnelmakävely / Audio Walk, Amos Rex Generation,
with sound designer Io Pettersson, 2023
The Assembly of the River Sheaf exhibition, Block project space, with landscape architect Ella Prokkola and architect Seela Pentikäinen, Sheffield, UK, August, 2023
Pesä / Nest, Mänttä Art Festival, with composer Tara Valkonen, 2022
Locus Amoenus -installation, Sibelius-festival, with artist Lea Lintula and sound designer Saana Pohjonen, 2022
Room 227, Helsinki Polytopes, Musica nova, with composer Tara Valkonen, 2021
Teaching
Architectures of resistance, activism and protest across time and space
Architecture History Masters Studio Course, 12 credits, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland, 6.9.–13.12.2024
Alternative Urban Planning at Vares Summer School on Spatial Activism
Summer School at Vares Architecture Residency, Valga, Estonia, 17.–23.8.2024
Assembly of the River Müstjõe
Course at Estonian Academy of Art, Tallinn, Estonia 3.–8.6.2024
Lasten ja nuorten arkkitehtuurikoulu Arkki
Architecture teatcher at children and youth architecture school Arkki, 2024–
Assembly of the River sheaf
Workshop at European Architecture student assembly, Sheffield, UK 31.7.–13.8.2023
Fill This Space summer school
Museum of Finnish Architecture, 6.–10.6.2022 & 29.7.–2.8.2024 & 8.–12.6.2026
architecture
Elonkirjon kaupunki | Entangled City, Alternative urban plans, 2024–
Alternative Urban Plan, Stansvik, 2024
Tiivistämö, interior design, 2020
Summer house renovation Jaala, Kangasala and Heinola, 2020
Dwelling 13,3m², Dwelling in Kruununhaka, plan and renovation drawings, 2020
collaboration
Somos S.U.R. x You Tell Me Collective
Multi usable exhibition structure for the exhibition Intento: A decolonizing attempt
Aalto University, 18.10.–1.11.2023
UNHCR Brazil x Sustainable Global Technologies
Studio course at Aalto University, designed together with Indeginous Venezian Warao and Kariña refugees in Roraima, Brazil, 2023
set design
Changeless records stage deco assistant, Flow Festival, with Lea Lintula, 2024
Arctic Momentum, Operaatio Arktis, Bio Rex, Helsinki 31.8.–1.9.2023
The Climate and Nature Summit for Young People, set design, 2021
Raave, Valkoinen Sali, flower installation, 2021
IBE, Ylex Pop, set design, 2021
IBE, Sellosali, set design, 2020
Lauri Porra: Cabins & Hideouts Installation, set design, 2020
Lauri Porra: Cabins&Hideouts, Savoy Theatre, set design, 2020
Festival of Matter and Time, Kulttuuritalo, set design, 2019
Dash Design Hackathon, venue design, 2019
Dash Design Hackathon, venue design, 2018
publications
Reflections on straightness. Archinfo – Everyone’s Architecture, 2024
Recognising the interconnectedness of the world would lead to a polycentric approach to urban planning, Mustarinda magazine, 2023
Once on taking a step, I realised in the city that: Urban space as a place to learn new ways of being. Master Thesis, Aalto University, 2023
Helsinki of Dreams -map and illustration, Huuto kaupukiluonnon puolesta, 2022
Mosaic of Me as a Citizen of the Anthropocene, Graphic novel, 2021
Elämää kuolleeseen tilaan – Tyhjien tilojen väliaikaiskäyttö: hyödyt, haasteet ja mahdollisuudet. Temporary use of vacant buildings. Batchelor Thesis, Aalto University, 2020
grants, awards, residency
2025, Kone Foundation
2025, Residency at ZK/U Berlin
2025, Arts Promotion Centre Finland
2025, HIAP Workshop residency
2024, Kone Foundation
2024, Arts Promotion Centre Finland
2024, The Finnish Cultural Foundation
2024, The Finnish Foundation for Nature Conservation
2023, The Finnish Cultural Foundation
2023, Mustarinda Residency, February
2022, Svenska kulturfonden
2022, Honorary mention for the most beautiful book of the year,
Huuto kaupunkiluonnon puolesta
2021, Arts Promotion Centre Finland
2020, Annikki Paasikiven Stipendi
other
2019, Duotone, Laura Väinölä – assistant