Background

In 2018, Kivi and Tuuli Sotamaa, the founders of a Finnish design agency Ateljé Sotamaa started designing a new kind of guest house for their friends Ulla-Maaria and Jonathan. Drawing inspiration from the rock formations of Eastern Finland as well as exploring new possible shapes and building methods in wood construction, the house was named “Meteorite”. Two years later, the Meteorite house had been featured in tens of design magazines, and became one of the best known examples in modern wood architecture and digital manufacturing.

About the Kosmos Team: 

Ateljé Sotamaa - https://www.ateljesotamaa.net/who 

Ateljé Sotamaa is an international design and architecture studio founded by brother and sister Kivi Sotamaa and Tuuli Sotamaa. The studio has completed projects in Finland, Sweden, England, Italy, USA, Japan, China and Kazakhstan and they are one of the top architecture and design firms in Finland.

Kivi Sotamaa is an award winning designer-architect and pioneer of digital design. Kivi has been an Associate Professor at UCLA Department of Architecture and Urban Design, an Assistant Professor at the Ohio State University Knowlton School of Architecture and Visiting Professor at the Universität für Angewandte Kunst, Institut für Architektur in Vienna. Kivi Sotamaa is the Founder of ADD Aalto University Digital Design Laboratory and was one of the founders of OCEAN NORTH in the 90’s.

Tuuli Sotamaa is a versatile and award-winning designer and design thinker who has worked with renowned museums, universities, cultural institutions and corporations as well as private clients. Ateljé Sotamaa’s clients include top Scandinavian brands such as Fazer, Marimekko, Michelin-starred restaurant Finnjävel, The Royal Institute of Engineering Science IVA, Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art, Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Finlandia Hall and Business Finland.

Field Studies - www.fieldstudiesprojects.com 

Ulla-Maaria Koivula and Jonathan Hull have backgrounds in digital media and publishing.  Ulla-Maaria is the founder and CEO of an immersive learning technology company, ThingLink. Jonathan has worked in the intersection of music and technology throughout his career, most recently leading the North American Creator Partnerships team at Meta across music, talent, thought leaders, and social impact. After 6 years in Palo Alto, California, Ulla-Maaria and Jonathan recently relocated to Kontiolahti, Finland, where they are building a compound of experimental wood architecture.  Field Studies Inc. is an incubator and production company for creative projects in design and architecture, food and music.