A unique 1,000 metre tablecloth — Design for an all time Summer Night’s Dinner on 15 August 2026
The 1,000 metre tablecloth is the outcome of the first ever design project between Proto—Designers of Northern Finland and China Academy of Art to celebrate friendship and to honour Sister Cities Hangzhou and Oulu.
1,000 metres of tablecloth designed for the Arctic Food Dinner in Oulu on August 15, 2026 is a unique expression of power of design, collaboration and our will to respect and cherish cultural diversity.
The cities of Oulu and Hangzhou have been Sister Cities since 2010. Proto – Designers of Northern Finland invited China Academy of Art, one of the best art and design universities in China, to collaborate in a bold design project to celebrate Oulu, European Capital of Culture in 2026, to honour the two Sister Cities, and to celebrate the radical creativity of designers across cultures.
The design project itself has created cultural climate change, as creative minds with different cultural backgrounds have searched inspiring and radical solutions together.
We hope that the tablecloth and the patterns designed by the five outstanding young design students and recent graduates at China Academy of Art will inspire each and every participant sitting at the dinner table on 15 August.
Warm welcome to the Summer Night’s Dinner on Saturday 15 August, 2026 at 12:00—21:00
Bring your family and friends with you. We are confident that you will get new friends round the table too.
In collaboration with Proto—Designers of Northern Finland:
China Academy of Art (CAA), Hangzhou
Arctic Food Lab, Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture
City of Hangzhou
City of Oulu
OSAO Vocational Institute in Oulu
Team
Proto—Designers of Northern Finland: Tuomas Mujunen, Chair of the Board; Päivi Tahkokallio, Director of Proto2026 Design Programme;
Annika Väisänen, Producer at Design Centre Proto;
CAA: Han Xu, Vice President, CAA; Ling Yali, Vice Dean, School of Fashion Design; An Yuxi, Lecturer, Zhou Yuanyang, Lecturer, Helena Hyvönen, Professor
Contact
Päivi Tahkokallio, paivi@tahkokallio.fi
Zhou Yuanyang, yuanyangzhou2018@gmail.com
