The circulation of water in a landscape work of art

In the late summer of 2020, the city of Jyväskylä organised a design competition in which the aim was to find ideas for a work of art to be placed in Lutakko’s accessible sports space and playground. The work had to combine both light and sound art. The idea had to be suitable for the populated environment and be technically long-lasting and easy to maintain. The competition sought an unobstructed work that can be experienced with different senses, where light and sound can also be utilised through natural light, surfaces and touch.

WSP won the idea competition with its water-themed work, which originally consisted of two parts: an interactive landscape work and a path of action in which to move and explore issues related to the water cycle. The competition’s working group included WSP’s lighting designers Heini Myllyoja and Annukka Larsen, sound designer Pyry Survo, and landscape architecture student Rani Ji. During the implementation phase, it was decided to do less on the path and to focus entirely on a landscape work called Sadepilvi, Rain Cloud.

The idea is born

The idea for the work related to the water cycle and the rain cloud originated in the middle of everyday work. The main designer of the work, Heini Myllyoja from WSP, says:

“I checked my son’s school assignment, which was about the water cycle. I stopped to think about water and its millions of years of circulation. As such, it is self-evident to us, but a tremendously fine and important mechanism of nature!”

The design of the multidisciplinary and multi-sensory work brought together a diverse group of WSP professionals, including, in addition to Heini, designer Jokke Katajamäki, sound designer Pyry Survo, and structural designer Niklas Pitkäkoski.

“Together with the design team, we considered how to make the work multi-sensory. It should hide something to some extent, meaning you can go inside. It should be playable, it could be touched, and it could be given a touch. It should have something to see and hear. Eventually, it became a work that can be run through, rolled over, or even touched. You can stand under it, dance, or lie down. Rain can be imagined as warm summer rain or heavy thunderstorms.”

The Rain Cloud was also inspired by the interactive Penetrables installations by Venezuelan-born artist Jesús-Rafael Soto (https://jesus-soto.com/penetrables/). Soto is known for his photokinetic works, in which a flickering motion is created by a wire mesh.

Technical challenges

In the spring and winter of 2021, Heini introduced sketches to Tehomet. The available materials and issues related to the compilation of the work were clarified with Tehomet’s designer. During the process, Tehomet’s designer engaged in a dialogue with the contractor on details and feasibility, assisting in the design of the structures and the selection of materials.

“Although the target is small and seems simple, there were many challenging points ahead. We considered how to get electricity to the top of the work safely, and how to get the service door in the base. How can the work be assembled on site? The biggest exercise was in the rope clamps: how to fasten the ropes to the grating roof as smoothly and still durably as possible”, Heini recalls.

Heini and a representative of the city of Jyväskylä investigated important factors related to safety and accessibility, as well as surface materials, so that they are durable and suitable for this purpose. When passing below with a wheelchair, ropes hanging at a height of one metre do not become entangled in the wheels.

Contact Tehomet already at the beginning of the project

The Rain Cloud is not Tehomet’s first or last unique work based entirely on a customer’s idea, for which Tehomet delivers all the parts. Joonas Innanen, Tehomet’s product development and engineering manager, encourages designers to contact Tehomet at a sufficiently early stage:

“We are happy to help from the very beginning. From the outset, co-operation makes it possible to identify all constraints and opportunities.”

According to Joonas, Lutakko’s Rain Cloud is a fun and unique, very powerful project that will not be repeated. With the subcontractors, the designers’ vision of the water cycle and the interactive work has been implemented in a great way.

The lighting of the work works at the same time as the general lighting of the park. The motion sensor changes the light in the work so that softer and more widespread lighting is on when there is no one nearby. When there is movement beneath the work, the light becomes more intense, reflecting a thunderstorm-like atmosphere. As the ropes swing, the metal sound bars make a rattling sound.

Photos: Jari Aalto

The following professionals involved in the project were interviewed for this article.

Heini Myllyoja, valaistuksen projektipäällikkö, WSP Finland
Joonas Innanen, tuotekehitys- ja suunnittelupäällikkö, Tehomet Oy