The Juror, nominated by the Executive Board of the Finnish Association of Architects, is a public figure who is a recognised expert in an area other than architecture. The winner is selected from a shortlist of projects chosen by the Pre-Selection Jury.
Sixten Korkman (b. 1948) is Professor of Practice in Economics at the Aalto University. Previously, he has worked as director of ETLA, the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy, and of EVA, the Finnish Business and Policy Forum; as Director General at the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union; as Director General of the economic department of the Finnish Ministry of Finance; and as Head of Office at the Bank of Finland. Korkman is a Doctor of Social Science. He has also published books, articles and columns.
The organisers wanted the judge chosen for the competition to be an influential figure who is known as an expert in a field other than architecture. The selection seeks to emphasise the fact that high-quality architecture is, at its best, an experience that resonates with all its users. Everyone can be an architecture expert.
”When I look at the designs of architects, I pay attention to at least three points. What is the relationship between the formal idiom of the building and its use? How well does the design combine aesthetics and function? How does the building ’sit’ in its environment? High-quality architecture is important, because the built environment is our extended living room and affects how at home we all feel. As a sixth-former, I dreamed of becoming an architect, but I realised that I did not have enough artistic talent for it, and decided to go for other career choices,” Professor Sixten Korkman says of his view of architecture.