Lahti is the European Green Capital 2021. The European Commission has awarded Lahti the European Green
Capital Award (EGCA) 2021 as the first city in Finland. The recognition is given to one city at a time for one year for merits in pioneering environmental actions, setting an example for other cities and developing innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Cities are at the forefront of fighting climate change – and we need to act now.
The I.C.E. (Indisputable Case of Emergency) work is on display in Kansalaistori Square in Helsinki from 6 to 15 August 2021. It is a distress message and call to action on climate change from Lahti, the European Green Capital 2021. Rising sea levels threaten to overwhelm several coastal cities by 2050 and 2100. The problem is global and affects many cities from Jakarta and Sydney to New York.
The melting ice pillars are a reminder of the effects of climate change. The infographics implemented on the surface of the square show which cities are the first to be threatened by climate change. The piece also incorporates a wooden pavilion, which houses an exhibition of Lahti’s journey to becoming the European Green Capital and showcases climate solutions developed by Lahti’s partners.
LUT and the Marjatta and Eino Kolli Foundation co-operate extensively to support the growth of a responsible bio-economy. They share the Metsä360-prize (30 000 €) annually for innovation, solution or action that contributes to the role of forests as the cornerstone of our well-being.
Climate Move and Tunne ry – Känsla rf offer the opportunity to go from eco emotions to environmental actions, one step at a time, together.
Häme Chamber of Commerce promotes the competitiveness and networking opportunities of companies in its area and provides information, services, and contacts to its members. The Chamber aims to strengthen companies’ environmental and climate protection awareness and encourage more ethical business operations during this decade.
The piece will be in Kansalaistori Square in Helsinki from 6 to 15 August. The wooden pavilion, which is part of the piece, will be moved to Uusikylä in Nastola, Lahti on 16 August, where it will serve as a tourist attraction.
I.C.E. is designed to remind people about sea levels rising due to climate change: the global issue also affects coastal towns and cities in Finland. The piece is a way to call attention to the City of Lahti’s carbon neutrality target for the year 2025 and concrete climate actions. I.C.E. is a combination of design, music, natural science and architecture, and as such it also embodies the ethos of the New European Bauhaus.
The piece consists of multiple elements, including nine melting ice cubes. The piece also incorporates a wooden pavilion, which houses an exhibition of Lahti’s journey to becoming the European Green Capital and showcases climate solutions developed by Lahti’s partners. The daytime soundscape of the pavilion features a musical piece called ICE, composed by Cecilia Damström and performed by the Lahti Symphony Orchestra.
The piece can be downloaded at www.greenlahti.fi/en/icemusic in the hundred towns and cities most at risk, including several coastal locations in Finland (access is determined by IP address).
Lahti-born architect Erkko Aarti and his design agency AOR Architects was responsible for the design process. A communications agency called TBWA joined the process along the way to design the infographics. The wooden pavilion was constructed by Lahti-based Ebonia Design, and the ice elements were created by Snowhow Oy.
The piece showcases Lahti’s architectural and woodworking competence and consists exclusively of natural materials. The infographics disappear as the ice melts during the exhibition in Kansalaistori Square. The wooden pavilion will be repurposed afterwards so that nothing is wasted.