Stadin Uuni (aka Archie) (2010-2012, Helsinki, Finland)

A group of +-15 DIY-/food-enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds willing to build a public outdoor oven connected online and agreed on a physical meeting for planning. Shortly after, they gathered again on a sunny late summer weekend to build one together (which was later named Archie), right in the middle of the old harbour’s building site Kalasatama (see above). All materials were retrieved from the surrounding environments, only the baking stones were acquired from the hardware store. Nearly no former building skills or knowledge existed, the instructions all came from Youtube-videos and Simon’s blog. A blog was set up, where people could make reservations for the oven. The building crew (aka the Archie clan) shared responsibilities in maintaining the oven and answering emails.

The oven was in intense use for nearly 2 years, until it finally collapsed and gave way to new ideas – the leftovers have been turned into a grill these days by other container square activists. Archie inspired two other ovens in the city, one in dodo’s beautiful Turntable café garden and another in the city’s new food market Teurastamo, not far from where Helsinki’s first public oven was located.

Find out more on Archie’s blog: stadinuuni.blogspot.com

Team: The Archie Clan
Thanks to: Simon, The City of Helsinki, Johanna Hyrkäs, Archie, and everybody else who supported this endeavour.