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recycled from Guido Radig / CC BY SAcommons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:100_Cent_or_more.JPG
recycled from N.A.R.A USA / Public DomainNational Archives Identifier 535587
recycled from schwarzplan.eu / CC BY SA Open Street Map
Excess Catalyser Helsinki
1
“Over 100 million tonnes of food are wasted annually in the EU.”
European Commission
“The things are there, produced with resources and energy. Why demolish them with more energy […]?”
translated from www.remida.de
“The leftover space is not detached […] it is embedded within, or just steps away from the urban mainstream space”
Greening as an Urban Design Metaphor: Looking for the city’s soul in leftover spaces by A. Akkerman and A.F. Cornfeld
“Artists here have been going along with the system, where you have to produce your work before you can apply for an exhibition. Only in the end, you will know, whether you get the grant to pay for the material, the rent and all the other expenses.“
Sound Artist from Helsinki *
*this and all following artists’ quotes are taken from qualitative interviews conducted by the author of this proposal
Excess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
2
Excess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
3
Excess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
4
phaseal development
physicalinfrastructure
infrastructural offers shaped by participation
upcoming infrastructuraloffers developed by citizens’initiative or in participatory workshops
frequent complements
Food
artists and citizensjoin
form acreative society
e.g. supermarket
excess origin results
excessive
resource provider
Material
e.g. wood industry
e.g. communal dinner
e.g. mobile exhibition pavilion
e.g. communalart café
e.g. performance site
e.g. temporary cinema
Space
e.g. disused motorway undercroft
excesscatalyserhelsinki
urban interweaver
crea
tivity
trig
ger
background continuous to be initiated
changing event calender
ConceptExcess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
5
The Excess Catalyser Helsinki centres the art production and the excessive resources of the city.
Instead of creating an autonomous international exhibition space such as the typical museum, it strengthens the local art scene by inter-weaving it with the urban fabric. Rather than showing exclusive art to an exclusive audience, it questions the dichotomy between artists and non-artists and asks for everyone’s actual participation.
This is achieved on different levels. First of all, the concept links art to excess and thereby brings up the issue of recycling, an urban up-to-date topic, which fits very well into Finland, where people have a heightened awareness of sustainability.
The Excess Catalyser supports the local artists by providing them with the city’s excess materials, such as industrial scraps, stage props, fair and event leftovers of all sorts, surplus food and unused free spaces. It furthermore equips artists with the proper tools to make use of the different types of excess.
Additionally the Excess Catalyser utilizes excess to interweave the local art scene with the rest of society, by creating a platform on the one hand and by enabling everyone to explore artistry on the other hand. The harbour site itself becomes a common place; e.g. by providing a kitchen to gather together for a self-cooked meal of excess food, while watching an art film or exchanging ideas, by offering inside and outside event space for all sorts of art and excess related happenings or by opening its workshops, such as the carpentry, to everyone. Making most of the proposal’s facilities and resources accessible to everyone is one the key strategies of the concept, as well as there is a changing and participative programme to actively engage people. Both the open facilities as well as the programme encourage the exchange between artists and other people and invite the citizens of Helsinki to get involved in the act of recycling. Thereby creativity is triggered, which is implicit in the nature of recycling itself. In the context of an art production, which cannot be defined by a particular purpose, it opens up a playground for any type of experiment. It creates a heterotopia, a term used by Foucault to describe a place and space that functions in non-hegemonic conditions.
The idea of creating a sphere of natural exchange and freedom, where art can exist without a museum’s or gallery’s rules and limits, and where everyone is encouraged to think out of the square, finds it’s clearest expression in the Excess Residence Programme. It is open to everyone in equal measure, its curator process is handed over to the diverse public and its only rule is, to somehow work with the on-site excess.
The whole concept of the Excess Catalyser is rounded off by its mapping tool. This tool visualizes how the Catalyser is interwoven with its urban surroundings and reflects the activity back into town. It shows the material flows, as well as the artist flows, e.g. exhibition places or event dates, and the expansion of the Catalyser Programme itself. Local artists can be seen as an excessive resource themselves – many of them live off unemployment aid, do not have access to exhibition spaces, there is no art market in Helsinki as in New York or London, yet there is plenty of activity but only known to a small audience. Thus the proposal becomes all about excess dynamics. It catalyses excess into urban action. The potential of excess material – antithetical to our throwaway society – is already shown in the simple act of storing it. This is, where the communal project begins and will then develop and flower with everyone’s participation.
“I really like your idea. […] Because also we have excess artists, we have too many artists. So it would be a place for people who won’t get to the institutional.”
Visual and Performance Artist from Helsinki
Excess Catalyser Helsinki
6
/ The Next Helsinki
start future extensions festival area e.g. urban interventions
relation to city and market hall / park / converted terminal
1:50000 m 50 100 250
urban range
7
Excess Catalyser / The Next Helsinki The Catalyser Merges with the City
“With the Guggenheim, it’s like being a jazz musician in Siberia, you are in the wrong place, you are in the wrong time, you know, there is something very alien in their discourse.”
Visual and Performance Artist from Helsinki
“When I go and look at art, I look at how people are surviving in a situation. I think that is always the most interesting thing, even in an exhibition where you actually don’t see the artist, you ask yourself, how did she or he survive the question of this space? So yeah, and I don’t think solving this issue is anymore interesting if you are an educated artist or not.”
Visual and Performance Artist from Helsinki
content of the exemplary monthly programme on the next page including the specified room programme
Programme Excess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
8
Res
iden
cyP
artic
ipan
ts a
re a
sked
to
som
ehow
wor
k w
ith t
he o
n-si
te e
xces
s an
d pr
esen
t th
eir
wor
k in
any
for
m a
t le
ast
once
dur
ing
thei
r st
ay. E
very
one
is w
elco
me
to a
pply
(la
yper
-so
ns, e
duca
ted
artis
ts, l
ocal
s, in
tern
atio
nal
appl
ican
ts e
tc.)
. App
lican
ts a
re a
sked
to
tell
som
ethi
ng a
bout
the
mse
lves
dig
itally
. An
expe
rimen
tal c
urat
or p
roce
ss w
ill ha
nd o
ver
the
deci
sion
to
a di
ff er
ent
citiz
en e
ach
time.
T
hose
dec
isio
n-m
aker
s in
tur
n ar
e se
lect
-ed
by
a sh
ot o
f so
cial
div
ersi
ty t
o al
low
a
dive
rse
outc
ome
(see
Bou
rdie
u et
al.)
. The
re
side
ncy’
s du
ratio
n la
sts
from
1 t
o 3
mon
th.
Cat
alog
ue C
ore
A C
atal
ogue
Cor
e in
form
s ab
out
the
netw
ork
of t
he C
atal
yser
. It
show
s th
e up
com
ing
mat
eria
l fl o
ws
– in
clud
ing
a m
ap
of u
nuse
d /
non-
spac
es a
nd a
list
of
the
curr
ently
sto
red
exce
ss m
ater
ials
. Als
o it
give
s ar
tists
the
opp
ortu
nity
to
anno
unce
ev
ents
or
post
the
ir ar
t sp
aces
pub
licly
and
di
gita
lly p
ublis
hes
the
even
t ca
lend
ar o
f th
e C
atal
yser
itse
lf.
Stu
dio
spac
eT
here
is t
he o
ppor
tuni
ty t
o co
nver
t so
me
of
the
form
er t
erm
inal
spa
ce in
to f
ree
stud
ios
(app
rox.
40
0m
2 ). T
hey
are
tem
pora
rily
give
n to
art
ists
, fro
m 6
to
12 m
onth
, und
er
the
cond
ition
tha
t th
e us
ers
deve
lop
the
Cat
alys
er’s
spa
ce f
urth
er.
Wor
ksho
ps /
wor
k sp
aces
Pub
lic f
acilit
ies
for
art
and
recy
cle
wor
k w
ith
expe
rt s
uppo
rt, e
.g. w
ood,
met
al a
nd s
tone
w
orks
hops
, as
wel
l as
quie
t ro
oms.
Ope
n ev
ery
day,
tho
ugh
resi
dent
s, a
rtis
ts, s
ocia
l an
d cu
ltura
l ins
titut
ions
are
prio
ritiz
ed.
e.g.
Too
l kit
sfo
r ur
ban
actio
n a)
dire
ctly
initi
ated
by
citi-
zens
or
b) b
y th
e C
atal
yser
and
des
igne
d in
a
publ
ic w
orks
hop
Com
mun
al K
itch
enop
en t
o re
side
nts,
as
wel
l as
for
ever
yone
el
se; c
omm
erci
al u
se e
xclu
ded.
Exh
ibit
ion
/ ev
ent
spac
eIn
side
and
out
side
exh
ibiti
on a
nd e
vent
sp
ace.
Som
e ro
oms
are
espe
cial
ly b
uilt
for
thes
e pu
rpos
es, b
ut in
gen
eral
any
pla
ce u
s-ab
le b
elon
ging
to
the
Cat
alys
er’s
site
mig
ht
be a
dopt
ed.
e.g.
Mob
ile p
avili
ons
cons
istin
g of
recy
cled
mat
eria
ls fo
r te
mpo
rary
ur
ban
exhi
bitio
ns, s
cree
ning
s an
d fe
stiv
als
a) in
itiat
ed d
irect
ly b
y ar
tists
or
b) b
y th
e C
atal
yser
and
col
lect
ivel
y bu
ilt b
y ar
tists
in a
w
orks
hop
Exc
essi
ve R
esou
rce
Col
lect
ion
Food
sur
plus
es, s
crap
mat
eria
ls a
nd u
nuse
d/no
n-pl
aces
, tha
t are
col
lect
ed a
nd c
atal
ogue
d th
roug
h di
ff er
ent
colla
bora
tions
, e.
g.
with
lo
cal s
uper
mar
kets
, bu
sine
sses
or
the
city
’s
plan
ning
dep
artm
ent
and
that
are
giv
en t
o ev
eryo
ne
inte
rest
ed
for
non
com
mer
cial
pu
rpos
es, b
ut e
spec
ially
art
istic
pro
ject
s.
SHORT STORIES FEBRUARY
MO
1
OP
EN
ST
UD
IOS
/ p
erfo
rman
ces
and
exhi
biti
on
TUE
2
WED
3W
EE
KLY
CO
MM
UN
AL
CO
OK
ING
: 6
PM
THU
4
FRI
5LE
CT
UR
E S
ER
IES
/ g
reec
e re
cycl
ing
euro
pe
SAT
6W
OR
KS
HO
P /
bui
ld y
our
own
scra
p bo
at!
: 10
AM
SUN
7
MO
8re
serv
ed f
or p
rim
ary
scho
ol w
orks
hop
TUE
9
WED
10
WE
EK
LY C
OM
MU
NA
L C
OO
KIN
G :
6 P
M
THU
11
FRI
12
UR
BA
N A
CT
ION
/ c
all f
or id
eas
hom
eles
s sh
elte
r : 8
PM
SAT
13
RE
SID
EN
CY
/ e
xhib
itio
n op
enin
g : 6
.30
PM
SUN
14
FLE
A M
AR
KE
T 2
.0 /
tra
de o
r up
date
you
r ol
d tr
easu
res
MO
15
TUE
16
RE
SID
EN
CY
/ c
urat
or a
nnou
ncem
ent
: 10
PM
WED
17
AN
NU
AL
EX
CE
ST
IVA
L /
exhi
biti
on o
peni
ng :
8 P
M
/
daily
wor
ksho
ps :
10 A
M –
10
PM
/
daily
lect
ures
: 13
PM
- 1
5 P
M
CONTINUOUS STORY
Fix
ed in
fras
truc
tura
l off
ers
that
are
sha
ped
by a
ctua
l par
tici
pati
on.
STORIES TO BE TOLD
Upc
omin
g in
fras
truc
tura
l off
ers,
de
velo
ped
by c
itiz
ens’
init
iati
ve o
r in
par
tici
pato
ry w
orks
hops
.
BACKGROUND STORY
The
phy
sica
l fra
mew
ork
whi
ch is
pro
vide
d ri
ght
from
the
sta
rt.
to b
e co
ntin
ued…
resi
denc
yap
artm
ents
stora
geat
elier
sto
ol kit
sm
obile
pav
ilions
cata
logu
e co
re /
co
mm
unal
kitc
hen
wor
k sp
aces
wor
ksho
ps
OVERVIEW
Excess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
“Freedom – it's important, that art goes first, the gallery space is not the star. When someone comes to this place, he or she can expect something nice and weird going on.”
Installation and Sculpture Artist from Helsinki
The Catalyser Building consists of different production facilities. Three main axes open the building to different facets of the city and the adjacent converted terminal hall, each of the three main façades is slightly dented to emphasize the welcoming posture. From the ground floor communal café to the top floor apartments the house becomes more and more introverted.
Urban activity, like street musicians or constructions sites, generally attracts more attention than a rigid piece of architecture thus lowering barriers.
The translucent façade transmits the inner activity to the outside in the darker seasons and during evenings.
The Catalyser BuildingExcess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
10
Work Spaces
Events
Administration
Circulation / Facilities
Residency Apartments
Communal Kitchen/Café
Workshops
ground floor
first floor
second floor
1:5000 m 5 10 25
Schematic Plans Excess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
11
“There are a lot of art things go-ing on in Helsinki, like this little Pop Up Place. It's just, that they are all spread out and it's hard to know about them. An app, for example, would be great, for tourists, but as well for locals.”
Filmmaker from Helsinki
The centre of the Catalyser Building is occupied by the catalogue – consisting of a Y-shaped table. An inserted town map and tablet computers, as well as some recycled information boards from the downsized Makasiini Terminal visualise the material, art and spatial flows of the city. (see also Programme on page 9)
Catalogue CoreExcess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
12
“A place, offering free studios and exhibition space, without the typical rules, that would be a dream come true.”
Installation and Sculpture Artist from Helsinki
“We are missing something from the place [the harbour]. So it would be really nice if we would be celebrating the fact, that people want to do stuff in Helsinki. Celebrating the activity.”
Visual and Performance Artist from Helsinki
Food and Material Storage as permanent usage
e.g. Studios, Makasiini Terminal (seasonal) on demand
e.g. Tool Kits for Urban Actions, Mobile Exhibition Pavilions by citizen initiative or participatory workshops
Participatory Drawers /Makasiini Terminal
Excess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
13
1
2
3
7
4
8, 16
10
9
6
11
12
13
14
15
17
5
1 stair table chairs from recycled office materials by refunk.nl2 communal cooking with leftovers by slowfoodyouth.de3 transparent facade for sedus stoll ag by ludloffludloff.de4 quote by jan gehl, gehlarchitects.com5 ‘few phoenix get lost in the water’ by thilo frank for provinz.li6 scrap material supply for social/art projects by hanseatische-materialverwaltung.de7 ‘presence and production’ in gramsci monument, a public space by thomas hirschhorn8 temporary hotel rooms shabbyshabby by raumlabor.net9 remida: creative recycling centres for children and youth by remidawa.com
10 urban arts festival by centre for art and urbanistics, zku-berlin.org11 art residency program in former railway depots by zku berlin12 remida-day celebrating creative scrap recycling by remida.org13 artwork using sponsored silicon by helsinki based artist erikaerre.com 14 ‘pleinmuseum’ mobile and continually changing exhibition pavilion by meetanne.com 15 participatory mapping of abandoned places by leerstandsmelder.de16 ‘folly for a flyover’ disused motorway undercroft temporarily transformed into a host space by assemblestudio.co.uk 17 communal workshop in the children, culture and neighbourhood centre by regenbogenfabrik.de
0 m 10 20 501:500
images on next page
Area PlanExcess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
14
“All forms of human activity appeared to be of major inter-est [...]. Considerable interest was observed in both the or-dinary [...] – children at play, newlyweds on their way from the photographers, or merely people walking by – and in the more unusual instance – the artist with the easel, the street musician with his guitar, street painters in action, and other large and small events.It was obvious that human activities [...] constituted the area’s main attraction.”
1
2
3
7
8
9
4
6 12
13
10
11
14
15
16
175
More e.g.’s! Excess Catalyser Helsinki / The Next Helsinki
15
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