Basic Forms (of Urban Life) brings Finnish design values and play culture to London’s Barbican

The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland will bring award-winning artist and designer Päivi Raivio’s piece Basic Forms (of Urban Life) to the Barbican Centre as part of their Play Make Do festival 14 – 16 August 2026.

Set in a public space, Basic Forms (of Urban Life) is an installation combining art and design that invites the audience to explore the environment intuitively. It consists of simple geometric plywood pieces that constantly create new arrangements, shapes, and encounters when rearranged. The work highlights the versatility of urban space and invites citizens to participate through play, leisure and creativity.

In the work, play isn’t just action but serves as a key design principle, introducing an element of surprise, freedom and new ways of interacting with others. The work opens up a conversation about who public spaces belong to and who has the right to shape them.

Raivio’s project brings forward the discourse of design democracy in public spaces. In the international context, the piece highlights Nordic, child-oriented design and the appreciation of free play combined with the methods of art and design. Raivio aims to create a more open, creative and humane urban space, where the purpose of design is to leave room for the unexpected.

Designed in the 1950s and completed in 1982, the Barbican complex is one of the most notable examples of Brutalist architecture, consisting of a cultural centre and a lively residential area. The concrete backdrop serves as a contrast to Raivio’s playful and colorful artwork, which reaches local families and residents of all ages at the Barbican’s Play Make Do festival.

The installation has been exhibited previously in Logroño, Spain at the Concéntrico festival of architecture and design and it is designed to be adapted to different environments. However, each installation is unique, as the location, the people, and the surrounding urban space shape the experiences and actions created by the artwork. The Barbican offers the work an ambiguous environment and an opportunity to highlight its themes in the UK. The work will become part of the Barbican's collection following the Play Make Do festival.

“I believe play and playfulness are among the most powerful ways to explore our relationship with each other and the places around us. They allow us to reimagine our cities and bring forward aspects of human nature that rarely have space to flourish in the built environment: curiosity, spontaneity, and activation without a ‘greater’ purpose. Playfulness is also a way to make more room for children in the city.

I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to work at the Barbican - one of my favourite public spaces and an endlessly inspiring, iconic environment. The installation reflects shapes and colours found in the architecture and surrounding areas, creating a dialogue between the static and the interactive. The work offers new perspectives and experiences in the area.”

- Päivi Raivio