Photo exhibition on Rome's social housing neighbourhoods

Architect and visual artist Anu Kaisa Koponen's photographs illustrate the current state of these neighbourhoods, while reproductions of 1920s architectural drawings complete the picture of their construction under the guidance of respected architects and engineers of the time. The social housing blocks featured in the exhibition were built affordably and sustainably, while their character continues to give them a strong sense of place. 

The carefully designed communal courtyards of Rome’s social housing neighbourhoods, which have been remarkably well preserved for a century, provide excellent examples for designers planning microforest projects in new cities. This approach addresses climate change and support urban biodiversity through the creation of numerous microforests in European cities, from Rome to Kemi.

Affordably built 1920s Rome social housing architecture together with its planning and structural solutions, offers valuable inspiration for designing a more equal city and sustainable wellbeing.

• The opening will take place on 24 August 2026 from 5–7 pm.
• Koponen will be present to introduce the exhibition during Kuopio’s Night of the Arts on Friday 28 August from 3–7 pm.
• Public lectures will be held in the meeting room at Kuopio Main Library on two Saturdays: 29 August and 5 September from 2–4 pm.

The event is part of the Meidän Kuopio Festival programme. 

The exhibition will also be shown at Alppigalleria in Helsinki from 1–25 October 2026.