HELP, I’M STUCK IN THE SUBURBS!
An overly capitalistic lifestyle in a suburban city often leaves little room for personal imagination. These cities are designed according to rigid models, systems meant to be followed, not questioned. But what if we were in charge of how we perceive our cities? What if the way we see our environment is a mirror of our inner world?
This project invites people to explore that idea. Through self-reflection and creative exploration, the game allows players to break beyond the limits of immediate reality and reclaim a sense of agency over how they view their surroundings. You’re in control of more than you think.
The work is based on my hometown, Tapiola, a suburban garden city in Finland built in the 1950s. My fascination with the place grew as I began to explore its layered history. Though Tapiola is less than a century old, its landscape has transformed repeatedly, reflecting waves of idealism, neglect, and reinvention. It was once a model city, designed to embody certain values, many of which have faded through time and a lack of continued care.
In this design, I wanted to highlight how our perception of the world around us is shaped from within. By scanning and digitizing parts of Tapiola and turning them into both a video game and a board game, I began to see elements of my hometown I had never noticed before. This process became a personal method of reflection—an opportunity to dissect the physical environment that shaped my understanding of the world, and reinterpret it on my own terms.
Ultimately, I invite others to do the same: to embrace a bit of absurdity and curiosity when analysing their own environments. There’s joy to be found in breaking the mold, and power in reclaiming how we choose to see the world around us.
Based on my hometown
Tapiola, a suburban garden city built in the 1950s
Fall 2024