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Women’s realm

Researcher Kirsi Saarikangas is fascinated not only by the functional architecture of the modern age but also the residents’ experience of the suburbs as places to live.

Kirsi Saarikangas was born in the centre of Helsinki but moved at the age of four with her family to the suburbs, so most of her childhood memories are therefore of the suburbs.

Nowadays, Saarikangas lives once more in the town centre. She is is fascinated not only by the functional architecture of the modern age but also the lived space: the residents’ experience of the suburbs as places to live.

In recent years, Saarikangas has reflected on the suburb with increasing affection. Nostalgia often strikes in the spring, when it’s time to dust off the bicycle and follow the urge to go outside and welcome the arrival of summer.

It is no wonder, as the art historian and researcher in gender studies has had a distinguished career specifically as a researcher of life in the suburbs.

Saarikangas is currently on leave of absence from her work as a senior researcher and is working at the university as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Arts. In the summer, she intends to continue her research on Helsinki suburbs in the 1950s–1970s.

Suburbs as the housewives’ realm
She is fascinated not only by the functional architecture of the modern age but also the lived space: the residents’ experience of the suburbs as places to live.

The materials she is using include the writings of people who moved to the suburbs of Helsinki in the 1950s–1970s, which recount their lives there.

The writings surprised Saarikangas. Although they marvelled at the shining bathrooms and running hot water in the homes, the importance of the surrounding natural environment, woods and wasteland seemed to emerge as being of greater importance.

The social relationships in the neighbourhood were also important, especially for women. The suburbs have a reputation as being strongholds of passivity and isolation; however, the suburbs of the research period were anything but.

“Women were not victims who sat alone by the sandpit with the children. On the contrary, many worked outside the home and built the family’s social relationships by the sandpit and in the local shops,” says Saarikangas.

It was also apparent from the homes that the suburbs had been planned as the housewives’ realm. The kitchens and bathrooms made the mothers’ work easier. The balconies and kitchen windows looked out onto the courtyard so mothers could keep an eye on children romping about the yard.

The kitchen was joined to the living room, with the idea being that children would play and do their homework there. “Children were made the centre of attention,” says Saarikangas.

Another research project that Saarikangas is planning jointly with researcher Mika Pantzar concerns another suburb located close to landscape of her childhood. “When studying a familiar landscape, you have to be especially precise about your own position,” comments Saarikangas. “The danger is that only the suburb’s good or bad sides will be emphasised.”

Kirsi Saarikangas’ favourite places in Helsinki

"Café is being closed for renovation. I might move to Café Ekberg (Bulevardi 9), which is another of my favourite cafés. I like to read and write in cafés, as you can be alone but among people at the same time."

”I lived near the park as a four-year-old, and I have probably played in the park. My son was baptised in the Old Church. Old Helsinki is present in the park. (Editor’s note: the park is called the plague park because victims of the plague in 1710 were buried there.)” (Bulevardi, Lönnrotinkatu, Annankatu ja Yrjönkatu).

”The sounds of indstury, cranes, the sea and boats passing by. My son used to play ice hockey at the ice rink in the area.”

”This is my absolute favourite place, although only members are allowed. To become a member you have to be proposed by two members. The saunas that are open to the public are Arla, Kotiharju, Hermanni and Yrjönkatu swimming pool."

"You can find all the layers of the city here: The houses rising up just beyond the park, my own childhood memories, the sounds of the ice rink, and Hietaniemi Cemetery, where my mother and other relatives are buried."

Text: Mervi Itkonen
Photo: Veikko Somerpuro

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