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Graphic objects in the Helsinki urban aesthetics: Exploration of tensions between formal and organic graphic objects
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School of Arts, Design and Architecture |
Bachelor's thesis
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en
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44 + 7
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Abstract
Living in the city people are constantly surrounded by visual stimuli that convey messages and help to shape understanding of the world around them. These visual stimuli are graphic objects (GOs). Some are formal (intentionally designed by authorities), while others are organic (emerging spontaneously from citizens, artists, or businesses). Whether planned or not, they all exist in the same space, they overlap, interact, and even clash in meaning. Together, they form the urban visual texture that influences how we perceive, navigate and emotionally connect to a city. This thesis investigates how formal and organic GOs interact to shape Helsinki’s urban aesthetic identity, and how designers consider urban context when creating them.
To achieve these objectives, a comprehensive literature review and qualitative research approach were employed. The literature review outlines key theoretical frameworks related to GOs, urban identity, and everyday aesthetics. This is followed by seven semi-structured with experts in graphic design, placemaking, and urban research within the Helsinki context. These interviews provided insight into the key GOs that define Helsinki’s urban aesthetic, understand the roles of stakeholders, examine the tensions that emerge from the interaction between GOs, and explore how designers respond to the broader urban context in their practice.
The research identifies key categories of GOs: formal, organic and temporary, and demonstrates how their coexistence generates both aesthetic richness and visual tension in the Helsinki urban environment. Study reveals the fragmented ownership of Helsinki's visual urban environment, where no single entity holds authority over the city's complete visual experience. The study also reveals that while designers demonstrate context sensitivity and strategically choose to adapt to or challenge the visual texture, they are often constrained by systemic challenges triggered by stakeholders.
Overall, the study demonstrates that Helsinki’s visual identity is not the product of a single vision, but a collective and contested process, shaped through ongoing interaction between planned strategies and spontaneous interventions. The thesis contributes to the growing discourse on urban visuality by highlighting the importance of context-sensitive design, interdisciplinary collaboration, and adaptive urban governance. This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of urban aesthetics and formation of the urban visual texture as a collective process that requires more inclusive, flexible, and context-sensitive design practices.