111 designs received for Koivisto’s memorial competition

A total of 111 proposals were received for the design competition for the memorial to former president Mauno Koivisto, said an official press release on Friday.

In October 2020, the Prime Minister’s Office announced a design competition and the results of the competition will be announced on 1 September.

The best design will get a prize of EUR 20,000 in cash while the second and third winners will be awarded EUR 15,000 and EUR 10,000 respectively.

In addition, the prize committee may award two honourable mention prizes of EUR 5,000 each.

The goal is for the monument to be completed and put in place in the park outside the Little Parliament by 25 November 2023, when 100 years will have passed since the birth of Koivisto.

The memorial committee, chaired by Prime Minister Emeritus Paavo Lipponen, will act as the prize jury.

The members of the jury board are Permanent State Under-Secretary Timo Lankinen of the Prime Minister’s Office (vice-chair), Professor Antti Ahlava, an architect from the Aalto University, Heikki Allonen, a representative of Koivisto’s immediate family, Professor Pirjo Sanaksenaho from the Aalto University, City of Helsinki City Manager Sami Sarvilinna, Helsinki Art Museum (HAM) Director Maija Tanninen-Mattila.

The professional artists appointed by the Artists’ Association of Finland are Kaarina Kaikkonen, sculptor, and Antti Tanttu, artist.

Senior Adviser Sanna Helopuro and Chief Specialist Tiina-Kaisa Laakso-Liukkonen from the Prime Minister’s Office will serve as the secretaries of the prize jury. Lawyer Aura Lehtonen from the Artists’ Association of Finland will serve as a mediator in the design competition.