EMMA's exhibition Futuromania revisits the residential utopias of yesteryear

Opening this summer, the exhibition looks at the bold visions of the future dreamed up by classic Finnish designers over half a century ago. How do their utopian ideas about boundless free time and unlimited resources match up with the reality of today?

Residential and urban planning schemes by Aarne Ervi, Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi, Antti Nurmesniemi, Armi Ratia, Aarno Ruusuvuori, Matti Suuronen and Tapio Wirkkala will be presented alongside a new installation by Aamu Song and Johan Olin (Company).

Futuromania – Designing Future Living 6.6.2018–17.2.2019

The exhibition presents new perspectives on Matti Suuronen’s classic futuristic home, the Futuro, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The Futuro will feature alongside Suuronen’s other plastic buildings from the Casa Finlandia series. Plastic was also Aarne Ervi’s chosen material for his Home of Tomorrow (1955).

Other highlights include a 3D model of Tapio Wirkkala’s entry for the City of the Future 2000 competition at the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair. Wirkkala visualized his future city as a string of sculptural residential blocks interconnected by an electric-powered commuter monorail.

The exhibition also introduces Armi Ratia’s philosophy of future living, which found expression in the buildings designed by Aarno Ruusuvuori for Marikylä (Marimekko village). All told, Futuromania provides a comprehensive summary of modernist visions of future lifestyles and technologies.

The collaborators of the exhibition are Espoo City Museum, Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation and Exhibition Centre WeeGee/ Espoo’s Event and Cultural Services. The exhibition is supported by Innovarch.

Press images: https://kuvat.emma.museum/kuvat/Lehdistokuvat-Press/Futuromania/
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