Grandma’s Place

Grandma´s place – An Intergenerational Circular Economy Space

Mummola (grandma´s place) is a spatial experiment at Otaniemi Upper Secondary School, where the key components crystallized through years of climate education—community, active participation, and open dialogue—naturally become part of the school’s daily life.

In autumn 2024, Mummola opened in Otaniemi. It offers tools for handicrafts, such as an overlocker, sewing machines, knitting needles, crochet hooks, silk screen frames, and more. That autumn, Mummola received a donated loom. The Martha Organization visits Mummola about once a month for themed afternoons to help students.

Why Mummola?

Mummolas vary depending on the generation, but they are typically cozy, unhurried places of comfort—often with the scent of freshly baked buns. Even as the world changes, we hope Mummolas remain. Otaniemi’s Mummola offers a sense of calm and well-being, along with an excellent opportunity to practice sustainability skills needed in the future. Sustainability challenges are overcome through collaboration, community, and trust.

The intergenerational Mummola also aims to show that past generations have overcome difficult circumstances, such as war. When consumer goods weren’t readily available, recycling and repurposing were highly valued. Ingenuity, creativity, and innovation remain key to solutions today.

As an open space, Mummola provides a chance to relax and feel good through hands-on activities during or after the school day. The idea is to show that you don’t always need to buy something new—broken clothes and items can be repaired, and many things can be made yourself. And that’s where the real satisfaction comes from. The seeds of future innovations may lie in old, nearly forgotten techniques. We also encourage teachers to plan lessons held in Mummola. For example in history students interview their grandparents and tell their stories, in biology students are advised to take seed from biowaste and grow seedlings from waste.

Activities at Mummola

Mummola is designed to be easily accessible. You can come alone or with a group. About twice a month, there are communal activities. The Marthas assist once a month. During these sessions, people clean, mend, sew, repair, make cords, and plant greenery.

Four celebrations are held throughout the year: Kekri in autumn, Christmas in winter, Easter in spring, and a spring festival to kick off summer vacation.

The grand opening was held on Zero Emissions Day, September 18, 2024, with help from the Marthas.

Last school year 24-25 for Christmas, students crafted traditional straw ornaments, tree decorations and paper decorations for the whole school. At the Christmas event, they played bingo, listened to carols, and enjoyed treats. For Easter, they incubated chicks, decorated a terrarium for them, and grew ryegrass to decorate the cafeteria tables. During the spring festival, activities expanded outdoors, where traditional games were played and coffee was served at tables. Everyone took home seedlings of useful plants that had been grown together.