Aallon Aarteet - The treasures of Aalto Words by architecture student Jenny Jolkkonen for the course “Aallon Aarteet.” Translated by Laura Toikka.
“The autumn rain whips against my face; I am surrounded by wetness. The wet grass feels soft under my feet. My big toe feels the stinging grip of cold water which seizes my shoe, step by step. The seam of my shoe is leaking. I hasten my pace as my eyes land on a glowing door in front of me. It feels as though it is radiating warm light into the darkness of this Tuesday morning. Inside I am met by bright light and warmth. My fingers are numb. My steps echo in the empty hallways. As I encounter the marble wall I know I have come to the right place. I immediately find the door to a large room. My gaze wanders in the dimness. I find my seat and rub my fingers to warm them up. Gradually the coldness of my fingers mixes with the stuffy air of the room. I dig out my notes and wait. People stream in steadily. I still wait. There is no teacher to be seen. Uncertainty fills the room. My friend takes matters into her own hands and sets up the lecture slides. We all stare unknowingly at the white canvas, filled with reflected black text. The people around me whisper. They guess reasons for the absence of the teacher. The lecture slides are interrupted soon as Anniina Mansikka-aho takes over the stage. Her face seems familiar. I have met her sometime before. A new set of slides opens up in front of us. We go through the history of Design Factory. I have never visited the place in question, so my interest gradually awakens as the lecture progresses. Anniina glows with ardour as she tells us how pleasant working at DF is. We are told how many versatile courses and lectures are held at Design Factory. I become excited as well as I hear about the various opportunities to learn new things.
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