KAAPELI Urban Lab Workshop 3

Wild Use: Take Kaapeli Over!

About the event

From the beginning of the CCSC project, Koy Kaapelitalo wanted to explore two kinds of actions in order to open their premises to the public: 

• Curated use – Using the premises to engage targeted groups of people with a planned agenda.
• Wild use – Opening spaces for the public to express themselves freely.

In December 2019, Kaapeli organised its third and final Urban Lab Workshop: ‘Wild Use’ by opening its doors to the public and inviting everyone to join the Sea Cable Hall (main event hall) to express themselves freely.

The idea behind the workshop was simple: come to the venue, do whatever you want. No rules, no limitations — everyone is free to indulge in their passion.

The idea was inspired by the Paris-based Le Centquatre cultural centre, which hosts “open spaces” for everyone – amateur or professional artists, spectators and passers is free to indulge in their passion.

The prospect of this exciting event concept brought 70+ participants to the Sea Cable Hall to go wild and engage in a range of art forms and creative activities. Wild Use brought together diverse community groups of salsa dancers, Hip Hop-dancers, martial art trainers – even a group of street dancers making their own dance video. 

Workshop Wild use Take Kaapeli Over vol II

Following the success of the first Wild Use event, Koy Kaapelitalo organised a second Valtaa Kaapelitehdas! (Take Kaapeli Over!) in February 2020. Throughout the day, over 250+ visitors used the space including dance groups to skaters and a pop-up cinema with three screenings. The Finnish MTV3 -tv-channel also broadcasted a story about the event.

Outcomes

The rapturous response to these events highlighted the clear need for more activities and possibilities like this to be initiated in Helsinki, where people can encounter, create and express themselves openly.

With an aim to make the city a more communal and fun place to live in, Koy Kaapelitalo will be organising more Wild Use events for citizens to embrace as an experiment.