Päivi Raivio's Basic Forms Turns Barbican into Movable Urban Playground

Päivi Raivio, a Finnish designer, will present her interactive piece, Basic Forms (of Urban Life), at the Barbican Centre in London during the Play Make Do festival from August 14 to 16, 2026. This event, put together by the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland, allows attendees to engage with simple geometric plywood shapes, rearranging them to create a dynamic play space in a public corridor. The colors of the installation complement the Barbican's Brutalist architecture. In partnership with RaivioBumann Design Studio, Raivio highlights Nordic ideals of child-centered design and the concept of 'design democracy in public space.' The installation was previously featured at the Concéntrico festival in Logroño, Spain, and will become part of the Barbican's collection afterward. Jose Cutillas and Sara Cuerdo will document the project.