An international group of students has designed and built an installation evoking the Finnish national epic Kalevala, The Shaman’s Haven of the Kalevala, on the Seurasaari island in Helsinki. The project is the culmination of the Spirit of Place/Spirit of Design architectural and academic programme headed by architect Travis Price at The Catholic University in Washington, DC. The project, a small pavilion that will function as a meeting place, has been built from stainless steel, wood and glass. The stainless steel was supplied by Outokumpu. It was prefabricated and handcrafted on site by Turun Pläkkipelti Oy. Stainless steel forms the roof of the building in the shape of a cracking egg, suggesting the Kalevala story of the creation of the earth. The polished surface of the steel reflects the adjacent sea. The opening ceremonies of the Shaman’s Haven of the Kalevala took place on 26 August 2010. The installation will remain in place through August 2013.
