Provenance Projected Symposium at Aaltosiilo

Provenance Projected: Architecture Past and Future in the Era of Circularity is a research initiative from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design exploring how buildings and their materials carry histories, evolve over time, and can be adapted and reused within a circular economy. The project brings together perspectives from architecture, design, heritage, and the arts to rethink how we understand and care for the built environment.

As part of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme, Provenance Projected will convene in Oulu, using Aaltosiilo as a platform for discussion on the future of architectural heritage and adaptive reuse across design, architecture, and the arts.

Morning Programme

Guided Architecture City tour (time to be confirmed)
A tour of selected buildings and sites in Oulu for symposium participants and guests. Please contact Aaltosiilo directly if you would like to join.

Symposium Programme (15:00–19:30, at the Aaltosiilo: Alvar Aallon Katu 5, Meri-Toppila, Oulu)

First part: Repurposing Silos for Art

Chaired by Charles Saumarez Smith

  • Adrian Forty — Concrete Colossi
  • Uwe Fleckner — Storing Knowledge: Aby Warburg's Cosmic Transformation of the Hamburg Water Tower
  • Magnus Wåge (Mestres Wåge Arquitectes) — Kunstsilo, Kristiansand
  • Charlotte Skene Catling (Skene Catling de la Peña) — AaltoKioski / Oulu Protocol

Break
Tour of Aaltosiilo with Charlotte Skene Catling and Valentino Tignanelli

Second Part: Projecting Provenance

Chaired by Mari Lending and Erik Langdalen

  • Caroline Ugelstad, Director of Collections, MUNCH, Oslo — Museum Provenance
  • Carson Chan, Director, Museum of Architecture and Design, Helsinki — Projecting and Collecting Architecture
  • Kiira Miesmaa, Director, Kiasma, Helsinki
  • Adam Lowe, Director, Factum Foundation / Factum Arte — The Provenance of Facsimiles

Evening Programme

Drinks reception in the silo followed by a screening of Marina Abramović's film The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas.

Event details

Dates & Time: Tuesday, 1 September 2026 | 15:00–19:30
Where: Aaltosiilo, Alvar Aallon Katu 5, Meri-Toppila, Oulu
Capacity: 60 participants [click here to register]

More information on the Provenance Projected website