Roots connect a place, nature and people

The sculptural artwork, Roots, in the entrance lobby of Kemi Areena invites visitors to look closer and pause for a moment. Created by the artist-architect duo Partanen & Lamusuo, Roots brings together surplus wood from industrial production, the nature of the North and a sense of belonging to a community, woven together into a cohesive whole.

“The inspiration for the work came from the striking architecture of Kemi Areena and the impressive wooden columns in the lobby. The organic forms simultaneously evoke tree roots, the structures of Kemi Areena and the connections between people. Roots tells the story of how people from different backgrounds become connected to a place, to one another and to their community,” the artist-architect duo explain.

Partanen & Lamusuo were selected to design and create the artwork through a nationwide portfolio call that attracted 144 artists. In the Lounais-Lappi newspaper (8 October 2026), Kemi City Architect Kaisa-Mari Immonen describes the selection as unanimous. The year-and-a-half-long artistic process culminated in the unveiling of the work in October 2026.

Art as part of the local story

The design process began with getting to know the place and the area. As the artist-architect duo Partanen & Lamusuo observed the wooden columns in the entrance lobby and took in the atmosphere of the space, the idea emerged for a sculptural column that would complement and bring coherence to the building’s architecture.

“Roots tells the story of Kemi Areena, the people of Kemi and its visitors. Visitors come from different backgrounds, each with their own roots and connections to the town and this building. In this coastal city, the forces of wind and nature are powerful, and roots anchor people to their surroundings,” the artist-architect duo explain, describing the symbolism of the work.

The sea surrounding Kemi and the nature of the North are reflected in the visual expression of the artwork. The root-like forms draw inspiration from the northern coastline, where the forces of wind and sea expose the root systems of coastal pines. In this way, Roots is deeply connected to the local community and the surrounding natural environment.

A meeting place that invites visitors to pause

Creating natural, welcoming places for people to meet is central to Partanen & Lamusuo’s design philosophy. Roots was therefore designed not only to be visually engaging, but also to be touched and used. Its root-like forms provide places to sit, inviting visitors to settle down, talk and observe what is happening around them.

“Bringing people together and creating opportunities for encounters are among the most fundamental purposes of art. Roots offers opportunities for both spontaneous and planned encounters, as well as moments of simply being present. We wanted to create a place that makes people stop and invites them to also capture the experience in a photograph.”

Roots reveals itself differently to viewers and through the camera lens, depending on the direction from which it is approached. Up close, the wood grain, knots and gently curving craftsmanship come into focus, while from a distance, the work becomes part of Kemi Areena’s architecture. Its form continually reveals new perspectives and details, inviting visitors to return to it again and again.

No living trees were cut down to create the artwork

“Roots was made entirely from surplus plywood from industrial production. The materials were collected from waste streams in the concrete industry, where much of this material would normally end up being crushed and burned for energy. The wood used in the artwork was given a new life as art,” the artist-architect duo explain.

The use of rescue materials has been at the heart of Partanen & Lamusuo’s practice since the early 2000s. In their hands, industrial by-products are transformed into artworks and furniture that blur the boundaries between art and functional design. The plywood’s grain, knots, signs of wear and other marks tell their own story as part of the whole.

By using rescue materials, the duo promotes the sustainable use of natural resources and the principles of the circular economy. For Roots, they hand-carved three-dimensional forms from within the material, following the patterns of the wood grain. The stylised, organically curving lines bring the surface to life and make it pleasant to touch.

During the summer heat, the outdoor carving work took place amid dust, noise and long working days. The process was physically demanding and required constant precision, as every element had to fit exactly into its intended position.

Roots as part of Kemi’s public art tradition

Roots was created under the percent-for-art scheme, which allocates a portion of a construction project’s budget to art. This approach ensures that art is not an isolated addition, but becomes part of a building’s identity and the everyday lives of those who use it.

The work continues Kemi’s long tradition of public art. The city has applied the percent-for-art principle since the 1960s, resulting in artworks in schools, day-care centres and public buildings. The Arts Promotion Centre Finland supported the project with a grant of €20,000, with the remaining funding provided from the City of Kemi’s investment budget for its Wellbeing Services.

Roots adds another layer to this tradition at the heart of Kemi Areena. The work reminds us that buildings, materials and people all have their own histories. Its organic forms bring these layers to the surface, making them part of a shared space.