Jalmari Sarla * Kaupunkihommia *
Jalmari Sarla * Kaupunkihommia *
You can also find my
up-to-date CV on my
LinkedIn profile.
Education
2023 – ExpREES STUDIES (VIExpert)
Expertise in Russian, Eurasian and Eastern European studies (Venäjän, Euraasian ja Itä-Euroopan asiantuntijaopinnot)
University of Helsinki, The Aleksanteri Institute
* * *2022 -MASTER OF ARTS (MA)
European and Nordic Studies
University of Helsinki, Faculty of Social Sciences
ECEBB track (East Central European, Balkan and Baltic studies) and additional studies in social sciences, political science and international relations
ExpREES studies at the Aleksanteri Institute
Student exchange at the University of Latvia with a focus on cultural and social anthropology
* * *2017 – 2021MASTER OF ARTS (MA)
Urban Studies and Planning
University of Helsinki, Faculty of Arts
The Master’s Programme in Urban Studies and Planning (USP) is a joint programme of the University of Helsinki and Aalto University. Studies consisted of a cross-disciplinary curriculum of urban research and planning studios, with professors and courses representing fields like sociology, geography, architecture, landscape architecture, urban ecology and urban humanities. My personal specialisation was in urban planning.
Graduation in December 2021 with thesis ”Placemaking and suburban regeneration in Helsinki: ethnographic exploration into spatial and aesthetic experiences of public spaces in Malmi and Malminkartano”. The thesis was commissioned by the Strategic Planning Unit (Yleiskaavoitus) of the Urban Environment Division (KYMP) of the City of Helsinki and it received the best academic grade (5). Find my thesis via this link.
Other activities during studies:
Studio course on new urban planning concepts consisting of multidisciplinary teamwork on a case of a Chinese city, incl. a two-week site visit to Nanjing and Shanghai (2018)
Student exchange at the City University of Hong Kong (2018-2019)
Co-founding the student organisation of USP programme Mesta ry (2017)
* * *2012 – 2016BACHELOR OF CULTURE AND ARTS (BA)
Industrial Design
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Thesis: “Development of a Participatory Design Workshop Method for Solving Urban Challenges” (2016) commissioned by the Live Baltic Campus project. Find my thesis via this link.
Student exchange at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest (2014-2015)
* * *EXCHANGE STUDIES
University of Latvia (2024)
Social and Cultural Anthropology
City University of Hong Kong (2018)
Urban Studies
Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest (2014)
Industrial and Product Design
Work experience
2023 - PODCAST HOST
The Ulkopolitist is an independent online magazine focusing on international affairs and Finnish foreign and security policy.
* * *2022 - LECTURER
Master's Degree Programme in Design, Metropolia UAS
Responsible for planning and teaching the annual 5-credit course on urban design (kaupunkimuotoilu) for MA students in Design. The course focuses on placemaking, urban issues, and design thinking in the urban context. In addition, supervising MA thesis projects on urban topics.
* * *2010 – ENTREPRENEUR
Kaupunkihommia (est. 2022) is a one-man business offering expert services on urban issues. I am available for consulting, writing, lecturing, speaking, researching, designing and facilitating.
Recent work:
Conducting urban ethnography projects for the Malmitalo cultural centre (City of Helsinki) about Malmin tapahtumakesä, a series of summer events (2023, 2024)
Giving a talk about placemaking and public spaces for the international steering committee of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet (2024)
Led thematic walking tours for international academic audience in Helsinki, focusing on Finnish memory politics and Russian cultural heritage in Helsinki’s historic city centre, client University of Helsinki (2024).
Designing workshop concepts related to youth’s experience of public space and facilitating workshops at Arkki the School of Architecture for Children and Youth (Dec 2022–)
2010-2022: Wide-ranging freelance design work using mainly Adobe InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator but also 3D-Modeling and GIS software; from infographics, book layouts, visual identities, record covers, illustrations, and bicycle trail signs to movie title credits, flyers, newsletters, mobile app visualizations, exhibition materials, stylized maps, package designs, and some more.
Examples of clients: Nuuka Solutions Oy, the City of Helsinki (different branches), Seppo.io, 3 Kaverin Jäätelö, LAD (Design for everyday mobility) project, Creative Campus Arabia project, loads of friends and colleagues
* * *01/2022 - 12/2023URBAN DESIGNER
Placemaking and urban design projects, incl. e.g., creative design, participatory design, stakeholder work, project management, start-up business development, sales
2023: Stakeholder work (events and workshops) in placemaking projects in Malmi, Kontula, Mellunmäki and Kannelmäki neighbourhoods in Helsinki
2022: Placemaking project at Ylä-Malmin tori square in Malmi: coordination, stakeholder work, project management, events, social media
* * *05/2023 - 06/2023RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki
Atlas.ti qualitative coding of Finnish MP interviews in DemGo project and organising a youth workshop and report writing in D.Rad project
* * *02/2021 – 11/2021MASTER’S THESIS RESEARCHER
The City of Helsinki, Urban Environment Division
Thesis ”Placemaking and suburban regeneration in Helsinki: ethnographic exploration into spatial and aesthetic experiences of public spaces in Malmi and Malminkartano” (December 2021) was commissioned by the Strategic Planning Unit (Yleiskaavoitus). Find my thesis via this link.
* * *02/2019 – 02/2021COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Metropolia UAS, Augmented Urbans
Augmented Urbans (2018-2021) was a joint project of 10 Partners, 5 Local Actions, and 4 Countries around Baltic Sea that aimed at co-developing integrated urban planning practices and resilient cities through Extended Reality (XR = VR/AR/MR) technologies. Metropolia UAS was a lead partner of the project that involved organisations like Tallinn University, City of Tallinn, Stockholm Resilience Centre, University of Gävle and Cesis Municipality. Augmented Urbans was co-funded by European Union’s Central Baltic Interreg Programme.
Tasks included:
Project communications, social media, graphic design, blog editing
Facilitating cross-border and cross-disciplinary cooperation between partners in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Sweden (partially during COVID-19 pandemic)
Organising two pop-up planning office events and two seminars/webinars in Helsinki
Designing and coordinating the production of a touch screen application
Mentoring and coordinating student projects related to design, urban planning and XR technology
Designing the final exhibition and final publication of the project
Miscellaneous tasks, like recording voice-over narrations to 360 videos and applications, organising partner meetings, planning and organising project travels, some project reporting etc.
See Augmented Urbans final publication
* * *05/2018 – 08/2018PLANNING INTERN
The City of Vantaa, Kivistö Detailed Planning Unit
Internship focusing on participatory processes and visualising public art and planning issues related to Kivistö neighbourhood
* * *09/2017 – 05/2018INFORMATION ADVISOR
The City of Helsinki, Urban Environment Division
Various tasks at the Info and exhibition space Laituri, incl. giving presentations about Helsinki planning themes for international guests of professionals and informing citizens about Helsinki urban development
* * *07/2017 – 08/2017PLANNING INTERN
The City of Helsinki, Urban Environment Division
Assisting the designing and organising of Lähiöfest2017 in 3D-modeling the sites, visualising the spatial distribution of elements and designing information walls for the events
* * *08/2016 – 07/2017PLANNER
The City of Helsinki, Neighbourhood Project (Lähiöprojekti)
11-month non-military civilian service in the Neighbourhood Project and the City Planning Department of Helsinki.
In the Neighbourhood Project (1996-2017), the suburban areas of Helsinki were developed in various ways and as districts equal to the inner city – for the best of the residents. Broad and long-term work was undertaken to prevent inequality in the suburban areas. The departments of Helsinki were co-working on the Neighbourhood Project, which supported and coordinated the joint work of the departments and worked in close cooperation with the residents and actors of the neighbourhoods.
Main tasks during the year included designing citizen participation processes, assisting in workshops and creating visual/functional materials, graphic design, concepting, photography and social media
Examples of tasks:
User-centered workshop concept related to Malminkartanonhuippu project, planning the participation process (see the project report here)
Design and arrangement of Neighbourhood Project's 20-year retrospective exhibition
Layout design of Neighbourhood Project annual report
Teaching
2022 – URBAN DESIGN (kaupunkimuotoilu), 5 cr
Master's Degree Programme in Design, Metropolia UAS
* * *MASTER’S LEVEL SUPERVISION
Jonas Hakaniemi: “Jyväskylän keskustan Kompassin kehittäminen palvelumuotoilun keinoin : placemaking-konseptin luominen Kompassin ja sitä ympäröivien kauppakeskusten yhteistoiminnan vahvistamiseksi”, Metropolia UAS, MA Design, 2024
Heta Pääkkönen: "Keravanjoen ideasuunnitelma – osallistaminen ja kokemuksellinen tieto maisemasuunnittelussa", Aalto University, Dept. of Architecture (Landscape Architecture), 2023
Organisations
2022 – CHAIR OF THE BOARD (member of the board 2023-)
Sasha ry
University of Helsinki
Sasha is the student organisation of The Aleksanteri Institute, the Finnish Centre for Russian, Eurasian and Eastern European Studies.
* * *2021 – SECRETARY OF THE COMMITTEE
Building committee
Heka Vanha Vallila housing estate
The building committee is the representative of the tenants of the buildings on the Heka property.
* * *2023MEMBER OF THE BOARD
FAREES — The Finnish Association for Russian and East European Studies (VIETS ry)
The Finnish Association for Russian and East European Studies FAREES is a scientific association established in 1989. The association aims to promote and publicize research on Russia and Eastern Europe in Finland and to support international cooperation in the field.
* * *2017 – 2018VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD (CO-FOUNDER)
Mesta ry
University of Helsinki
Mesta is the student organisation of the Master’s Programme in Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Helsinki and Aalto University.