How much does architecture weigh when the future of the entire planet is at stake? What is the role of architecture and design amidst ecological crises, catastrophes and political upheaval? Can design make a difference, solve problems, and bring any radical change for the better?

The main themes of the 16th edition of the Alvar Aalto Symposium: The Weight of Architecture have emerged from the topical phenomena of global crises; climate change, extreme weather conditions and the loss of biodiversity to the political, financial and societal changes in our environment.

The 16th Alvar Aalto Symposium is a hybrid event, onsite in Jyväskylä, Finland, and virtual for a large international audience around the world.