Community Residency is a dedicated space at Eteläranta 6 available free of charge to collectives, smaller communities, and working groups interested in organizing semi-public and public activities related to architecture, design, the city and the built environment.
Eteläranta 6: Community Residency
The Community Residency at Eteläranta 6 is a free-to-use space for collectives, community groups, associations, and working groups interested in architecture, design, cities, and the built environment.
Whether you are developing an ongoing project, testing a new idea, or looking for a place to gather, the Community Residency offers a platform to meet, share knowledge, collaborate, and experiment.
Located in central Helsinki, Eteläranta 6 offers opportunities for teaching and learning in an urban public setting. The construction site of the future museum can also serve as a case study and learning platform.
The space can be used for
- Open office sessions
- Workshops
- Lectures and talks
- Discussions and meetings
- Screenings
- Reading groups
- Participatory and experimental events
- University courses
- Basic and upper-secondary education
- Vocational education and training
- Teaching and learning in architecture, design, and related fields
Eteläranta 6 and is designed for lightweight, easy-to-manage activities. Users are responsible for organizing, producing and marketing their own programs.
Please note that the historic Art Nouveau space is not barrier free. There are stairs leading to the venue as well as within the venue itself. The multi-level space does not have a lift.
About the Program
We welcome activities that engage with Eteläranta and its surroundings while exploring broader questions related to the city, public space, architecture, and design.
The Community Residency is guided by a set of open-ended invitation questions that connect activities in the space to contemporary urban issues. These questions provide a framework for reflection, discussion, experimentation, and collective engagement.
The Community Residency is offered through an ongoing open call. Individuals and groups are invited to propose self-organised projects, events, and activities and apply for the space.
The program aims to
- Foster collective engagement and exchange
- Support grassroots and experimental practices
- Create opportunities to test ideas in a public setting
- Build connections between communities and the future museum
Invitation Questions
The program is framed through a set of open-ended questions that invite critical reflection on architecture, design, and the contemporary city. These questions are not prescriptive but are intended to support diverse approaches and perspectives. The program evolves continuously through new proposals.
The invitation questions are
- What constitutes the most urgent issues shaping the contemporary city and Helsinki?
- How do different identities and lived experiences influence the ways in which the city is understood, designed, and inhabited?
- How might Finnish design and architectural traditions be defined, and how can existing definitions be critically examined or contested?
- What does it mean to design in relation to entire ecosystems, including more-than-human actors? How might multi-species design practices reshape conventional approaches?
- What actions, interventions, or design approaches can contribute to addressing homelessness in urban contexts?
- In what ways do participatory practices and collaborative processes inform more inclusive and sustainable design outcomes?
- How should design and architecture respond to a world in which resources and built environments already exist but remain unevenly distributed?
- What forms of design practice emerge when the intention is not to produce new material objects, but to rethink, reuse, or transform what already exists?
Who Can Apply
We welcome proposals from individuals and groups working within or alongside architecture and design.
The space can be used by:
- Collectives and informal groups
- Working groups and associations
- NGOs and non-profit organisations
- Practitioners and educators
- Community organizers
- Students and researchers
Applying for the Space
The space can be applied for through an online application form.
All applications are reviewed by the Architecture and Design Museum. The museum reserves the right to decline or cancel a booking if necessary. Successful applicants will receive confirmation and further instructions.
The museum reviews applications on a regular basis. Please make sure to submit your application well in advance, at least three weeks before the intended use of the space.
All users are expected to
- Commit to the museum’s safer-space principles
- Take responsibility for organising and facilitating their activities
- Follow the space guidelines and instructions
Please note: The event organiser is solely responsible for planning and delivering their event independently. In the case of events held at the Community Residency, the Architecture and Design Museum does not act as the event organiser but provides the venue for use by the organiser. All responsibilities related to organising the event, including but not limited to music licensing fees, permits, contracts, insurance, and other applicable costs or obligations, remain the responsibility of the event organiser and the users of the reserved space.
All activities must be
- Free of charge
- Open to the public
- Related to architecture, design, cities, or the built environment
- Reviewed and approved by the museum
Museum staff may occasionally attend activities, depending on their nature.
Available booking times
The Community Residency can be booked during the following times:
- Fridays: 11 am to 8 pm
- Saturdays: 11 am to 6 pm
- Sundays: 11 am to 6 pm
Bookings can be made for a minimum of one hour or for the entire weekend. Please note that your preferred weekend may not be fully available.
All applications will be reviewed based on
Applications are reviewed based on:
- Relevance to architecture, design, cities, and the built environment
- Alignment with the Community Residency invitation questions
- Potential for public engagement, learning, and dialogue
- Feasibility within the available space and resources
- Commitment to accessibility and inclusion
- Originality, experimentation, and collaborative approaches
- Contribution to a diverse range of voices and perspectives
- Contribution to the overall balance and variety of the programme
The museum seeks to support a wide range of participants, perspectives, and activities. In addition to the quality of individual proposals, selection decisions are made with consideration for the overall balance and diversity of the Community Residency program and the availability of the space.
