Yrjö Sotamaa
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Yrjö Sotamaa, (b. 1942, Helsinki) is a Finnish designer. Sotamaa has been Professor of Interior Architecture and Furniture Design, and President of the University of Art and Design Helsinki (known in Finnish as TAIK) since 1986. During this time, the school has grown into an internationally acclaimed institution for art and design.
As president of the University, Sotamaa has had a visible role in the development of the Arabianranta area of the city, where the University is situated, under the notion of the Living Lab, first put forward by MIT Professor William Mitchell, in terms of a research methodology for sensing, prototyping, validating and refining complex solutions in multiple and evolving real life contexts.[1]
Sotamaa has played a key role in the creation of the Finnish national design policy and the reinforcement of the position of design in the Finnish Innovation System.[2] He has also played an active role in renewing the Finnish university system and is one of the initiators of the Helsinki Innovation University, which will be operational 1.8.2009.[3]
Sotamaa serves as a scientific advisor to universities in China, Korea and Denmark. He is Guest Professor in Tongji/CAUP University in Shanghai.
Sotamaa entered the service of the Taik in 1975 as Head of Department of Interior Architecture and Furniture Design. In 1969-70, at the invitation of professor Victor J. Papanek, he was a Visiting Professor at Purdue University in the USA and during this time also collaborated closely with Buckminster Fuller. In 1972-73 he studied nomadic cultures and handicrafts East Africa. He got his MA in Interior Architecture and Furniture Design from the University of Art and Design Helsinki where he studied with Kaj Franck and Antti Nurmesniemi.
As a visiting professor, Yrjö Sotamaa lectures regularly in universities in Europe, USA, Asia and Latin America, and he is often invited to speak at international conferences. In his publications, articles and lectures, Sotamaa has extensively discussed topics such as the role of design as a strategic innovation resource, design management, research in design, the evolution of the information society and the creative society. He is Editor in Chief of the ARTTU! Design Magazine and Columnist to the Finnish Business Daily Kauppalehti.
Sotamaa holds a number of expert positions. He is Chairman of the Executive Board of the Art and Design City Helsinki ADC Ltd and the Council of Creative Industries in Finland and a Member of the Round Table of Design in Finland. As Chairman of the Finnish Information Society Forum and a Member of the Information Society Forum of the European Union (1995-99), he participated in research on the evolution of the information society and in the planning of future strategies. He was recently the Vice-Chairman for the National Committee preparing the new Governments Art and Artist Policy Programme for Finland. Professor Sotamaa has written the Kyoto Design Declaration, which was approved by CUMULUS Association in 2008, in which the global community of 124 Art and Design institutions committed themselves to sustainable development.
Yrjö Sotamaa has a prominent role in the development of Finnish cultural life and higher education policies. He was Vice-President of the Finnish Council of University Rectors in 1997-2003. He is at the moment Chairman of the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation TWRB and member of the Executive Boards of many culture organisations including the Asko Foundation and the Väinö Tanner Foundation.
Yrjö Sotamaa was elected in 2001 the first President of CUMULUS, the International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design and Media (2001-2007). He is Chairman of the Foundation of the Finnish Institute in Japan, and a Founding Member and Chairman of the Japan-Finland Design Association JFDA (Finland). He also serves on the Advisory Boards of the Finnish Cultural Institutes in Rome and Madrid. He is a Member of the Finnish-Swedish Academy of Industrial Design and the International Advisory Board of Shanghai Institute of Visual Art, Fudan University.
Mr Sotamaa is Honorary Doctor of Estonian Academy of Arts and a Honorary Member of the Finnish Association of Designers ORNAMO and of Graafiset muotoilijat GM, as well as of the Royal College of Art (UK). He is Member of the Comite d´honneur of Ecole Supérieure d´Arts Graphiques et d´Architedcture Interieure-Design ESAG-Penninghen, France. Sotamaa was awarded the MTV3 Finland Culture Prize 1999, the Sign of Honor of the Latvian Academy of Arts in 2006, the Albert Gebhard Medal of the Graphic Designers Association, Finland in 2003, the Prix Met de Penninghen, Ecole Superiéure d´Arts Graphiques et d´Architecture Interieure-Design Esag-Penninghen, France in 2007 and he was a Nominee for the 2002 World Technology Award in Design. He was also awarded the Most Beautiful Book of the Year 2000 Prize. He is listed in the Who is Who in the World and International Who is Who of Professionals.
Professor Sotamaa has been decorated with Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, Japan, Golden Medal of the City of Helsinki, Finland, Commander, Order of the Lion of Finland, Commandeur in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau, Netherlands, Knight, First Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland.
