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Representatives of architecture, urban planning and the performing arts are joining forces in an unprecedented project focusing on Oulu citizens, urban landscapes and human heritage!
The three-year Climbing over Oulu project, which is part of the European Capital of Culture year, will continue in Oulu in May and June. It is organised by the French Le Plus Petit Cirque du Monde in cooperation with Flow Productions.
Climbing over Oulu is a three-year collaborative project involving international architects, musicians and circus artists in Oulu. The artists invite citizens to join them in urban walks, workshops, site-specific pop-up events and performances inspired by the city, its people, urban landscapes and human heritage.
At the same time as the urban walks and workshops, a group of 12 French and Finnish artists will be working in Oulu. During the residency, the French and Finnish circus artists and musicians will prepare pop-up performances for audience at Aalto Silo and Summer Sauna, as well as a Climbing over Oulu performance at Culture Centre Valve.
The Urban Walks will lead Oulu’s citizens around the city and make them aware of the city’s special features. Led by the project’s artistic director Eleftérios Kechagioglou and architect Amine Slimani, the Climbing over Oulu Walks are spontaneous: participants are invited to share their experiences and knowledge of the sites along the route and to suggest points of interest along the way.
On the other hand, The Alvar Aalto Heritage Walk explores Alvar Aalto’s handprint in the Meri-Toppila, Typpi Oy and Koskikeskus areas of Oulu, guided by Pia Krogius, the City of Oulu’s urban planning architect. The urban walks create new connections between the public and citizens, architecture, urban planning and the performing arts.
These walks will also be a pilot for the implementation of an Alvar Aalto route circuit in Oulu for the 2026 European Capital of Culture year.
During the Revitalize Meri-Toppila Workshops for city residents, a Pop-up park will be created in the car park next to the Aalto Silo. The workshops, organised in cooperation with Aaltosiilo Asociation, Factum Foundation, Oulu Culture Centre Valve, Oulu Urban Culture’s Nook project, University of Oulu, The Latvian Academy of Arts and Skene Catling de la Pena Studio are open to everyone and offer meaningful activities and learning opportunities for participants of all ages and backgrounds. The workshops will also bring together architects and architecture students from France, Latvia, the UK and Finland.
Guided by these aims, majority of the construction materials are sourced from the recycling center Likke and Rusko waste management center, both operated by the local circular economy company Kiertokaari.
All events are free of charge! The primary language of the events is English!
The end times of the urban walks are around-times.
For participating in the workshops and urban walks please sign to the following link:
REGISTER HERE
PROGRAMME
TUE 27 May
9-11 Launch of the Revitalize Meri-Toppila workshops and Climbing over Oulu urban walks at the University of Oulu, Tellus Stage
11-12 Self-catering lunch
12-14 Urban Walk Climbing over Oulu from the University of Oulu Tellus Stage to Meri-Toppila’s Aalto Silo (led by Eleftérios Kechagioglou & Amine Slimani)
14-14:30 Coffee break
14:30-16:30 An urban walk in the Alvar Aalto Heritage Meri-Toppila area, about 1,5km (led by Pia Krogius). The walk starts and ends at the Aalto Silo.
All day (at 14-18): Revitalize Meri-Toppila cultural pop up making off workshop at Reenis (Alvar Aallon Katu 1, Meri-Toppila)
WED 28 May
9:45 Morning coffee by Aalto Silo
10-13 Urban Walk Climbing over Oulu Alvar Aalto’s District #1 in the Meri-Toppila area (led by Eleftérios Kechagioglou & Amine Slimani). The walk starts and ends at the Aalto Silo.
13-14 Self-catering lunch
All day (at 9-18): Revitalize Meri-Toppila cultural pop up making off workshop at Reenis (Alvar Aallon Katu 1, Meri-Toppila)
THU 29 May
9-11 am Urban walk Climbing over Oulu at Alvar Aalto Heritage Typpi Oy, about 2km (led by Pia Krogius)
The walk starts from the parking lot of Pallokauppa.com, Typpitie 1 (see picture). You can get there from the city centre by bus No 35, exit at stop Typpitie. Routes and timetable
The walk ends at Pave Architects, Hintantie 18
COFFEE BREAK AT PAVE ARCHITECTS
11-14 Urban walk Climbing over Oulu from to Pave Architects to Meri-Toppila’s Aalto Silo (led by Eleftérios Kechagioglou & Amine Slimani)
The walk starts at Pave Architects, Hintantie 18
The walk ends at the Aaltosilo
All day (at 9-18): Revitalize Meri-Toppila cultural pop up making off workshop at Reenis (Alvar Aallon Katu 1, Meri-Toppila)
FRI 30 May
9:45 Morning coffee by Aalto Silo
10-13 Urban Walk Climbing over Oulu Alvar Aalto’s District #2 in the Meri-Toppila area (led by Eleftérios Kechagioglou & Amine Slimani). The walk starts and ends at the Aalto Silo.
16-18 Urban walk in the area of the Alvar Aalto Heritage Koski Centre, about 3km (led by Pia Krogius)
The walk starts from the bus stop in Toivoniemi (P)
The walk ends at Tuira beach
at 19:30 Climbing over Oulu pop-up performance by PPCM and Flow Productions artists at the Kesän Sauna
All day (at 9-18): Revitalize Meri-Toppila cultural pop up making off workshop at Reenis (Alvar Aallon Katu 1, Meri-Toppila)
SAT 31 May
Closing Festival at the Aalto Silo car park in the Culture Park:
10-13 Final details on the workshop structures
15-18 Live music in the pop-up cultural park (Yskä , Tähtimoottori and Konekaverit )
18-18:40 Climbing over Oulu pop-up performance by and in Aaltosiilo
FRI 6 June
at 19 PPCM and Flow Productions’ Climbing over Oulu stage performance at the Culture Centre Valve.
PPCM and Flow working group
Artistic Director: Eleftérios Kechagioglou
Artistic director: Gaëtan Levêque
Artistic development/production: Mathilde Lajarrige
Circus and dance artists: Lucille Chalopin, Julia Tesson, Erika Matagne, Johnson Saint-Félix, Helena Morag, Jared van Earle, Elisabeth Künkele
Musicians Stefanos Floras, Mahdi M’Kinini, Mélian Vlachos, Pauliina Kauppila
Architects: Amine Slimani, Dimitra Kanellopoulou
In collaboration with: Valentino Tignanelli, Aaltosiilo, Factum Foundation, Culture Centre Valve, Oulu Urban Culture
Production support: Oulu Culture Foundation, Institut français de Finlande
Co-production: PPCM, Flow Production
The first Climbing over Oulu residency took place in the summer of 2024 and will culminate in the summer of 2026.
Climbing over Oulu is part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme and cultural climate change. Oulu will be the European Capital of Culture in 2026, together with 39 northern municipalities. World-class experiences from near, far and in between are on offer. Culture, art and diverse events will be experienced in cities, villages and nature. It is a multi-year journey that will culminate in 2026.
This spring, Climbing over Oulu joins the Revitalizing Meri-Toppila project of Aaltosiilo Association, Factum Foundation, Oulu Culture Centre Valve and Oulu Urban Culture’s Nook project.
