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Janne Hirvonen has been appointed as the new Head of Technical Service of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture from 1.6.2024. Hirvonen has been the facility officer of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture as well as the team leader of the School's workshops, and before that, workshop master since 2000.

Hirvonen has a background as an industrial designer and jewellery artist from the University of Art and Design Helsinki and has worked as a teacher in several educational institutions during his career. 

He was the facility officer and workshop team leader during the development of the Väre building from its conception to implementation. The School of Arts, Design and Architecture moved to the Aalto University campus in Otaniemi, Espoo in 2018.

‘Our technical service is very extensive and both Aalto University and the School have invested heavily in it. Even by international standards, we have a range of workshops that we can be proud of’, says Hirvonen.

The School has 30 workshops offering both traditional technical and digital equipment and facilities for teaching and research. 

‘Our educational philosophy is strongly based on learning-by-doing, and our technical service and workshops, led by our skilled workshop masters, provide a great opportunity for this. In the education of designers and artists, it is important that students get exposed to real materials from the outset, and to the fundamentals and starting points of different materials and production methods. Workshops are not just a place to come and implement designs, they are a key learning environment for students and researchers alike’, Hirvonen states.

The School’s technical services and workshops employ 60 people, about half of whom are workshop masters.