Leena Kela returns from study leave as Residency director – Saari Residence prepares for major renovation project

Residency director Leena Kela returned to work in September after a study leave of over a year. During her leave, she completed her artistic research dissertation at the Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Helsinki. While she was away, Anni Sundbacka and Annika Dahlsten served as acting directors of the residency.

“It was wonderful to return to Saari Residence after an intensive but extremely rewarding year of writing. Just before returning to work, I was able to submit my dissertation for preliminary review and am now awaiting the reviewers’ statements. Everything at Saari was comfortably as I left it, but I was also pleased to see that many operational practices had developed and been refined during my absence. I want to thank both of my substitutes for their skilled work in guiding the residency,” Kela says.

During the fall, preparations at Saari Manor have been underway for a major renovation project. In November, construction will begin on maintenance facilities in the machine hall, scheduled to be completed by early summer. After this, maintenance functions previously located in the barn—such as laundry services for the residency, small supplies storage, and park and property maintenance—will move into the new spaces in the machine hall. Following that, the current barn facilities will be demolished and rebuilt. The dryer next to the barn will also be adapted for use by residency participants, with workspaces specifically designed for writers.

The entire project’s architectural design is being handled by the Danish firm Pihlmann Architects, which is currently representing Denmark at the Venice Architecture Biennale. A guiding principle of the barn renovation is the circulation of materials: building materials are viewed as resources whose value and existence can be redefined. Pihlmann’s design approach starts with what is already in the building—its structures, materials, and elements—and lets these guide architectural solutions and choices. The goal is to achieve the highest possible rate of material reuse, rather than demolishing old materials and replacing them with new ones.