Architectural Photographer Exploring Identity: Who Are We in the Realm of Architecture?

➝ Solo exhibition at Galleria Kellokas, Äkäslompolo, 9 June – 23 July 2025

1 Tapio / 2 Works / 3 About and contact /

Löyly Helsinki, architectural photographs by Tapio Koivula.

Löyly, Helsinki, 2021

In the heart of Tapio's artistic exploration lies a profound question: who are we in the realm of architecture and the built environment? This forms the central theme of Tapio's ongoing project, where he utilizes the medium of photography to offer a unique perspective on how architecture shapes us and the kinds of meanings it can evoke, both on an individual and communal level.

Tapio's aim is to delve into the intricate relationship between architecture and our identity, as well as the experiential aspects it entails. Through the lens of visual art, he engages in a profound exploration of how architecture shapes our perceptions and tells the stories that each structure carries.

In architecture, light plays a central role, serving as the creator of mood and identity. In Tapio's photographs, he intentionally leverages variations in natural light to capture the essence of each structure.

In the current era, characterized by heightened individualism, Tapio poses the question of whether architecture can foster communal experiences and sharing. In this exploration, he reflects on the significance of architecture in our lives, investigating when and why a place transforms into a routine, becoming an implicit part of our lives. Additionally, he contemplates how the identity and emotions of individuals unfold within the surrounding space.

As individuals, we forge a unique relationship with the spaces we inhabit — a dance between the tangible and intangible, the seen and the felt. In the kaleidoscope of modern individualism, Tapio finds himself pondering whether architecture can transcend its physicality to foster communal experiences and shared memories.

How do our identities resonate within these spaces, and how do these spaces, in turn, shape our collective identity?

Saukonlaituri Parking Facility, architectural photographs by Tapio Koivula

Saukonlaituri Parking Facility, Helsinki, 2021

Serlachius Museum Gösta's Pavilion, architectural photographs by Tapio Koivula

Serlachius Museum Gösta's Pavilion, Mänttä, 2021

Jätkäsaari School, architectural photographs by Tapio Koivula.

Jätkäsaari School, Helsinki, 2022

Tapio Koivula is a Finnish architectural photographer based in city of Tampere. Tapio strives to build a timeless architectural photographs and to seek out the peculiarities of architecture. His goal is to capture the essence of architecture through the interplay of light, space, and form.

His work has been featured in the Finnish Architectural Review, Kamera-lehti, Arkkitehtiuutiset, Deko, Archinfo, N by Norwegian, Creative Boom. Tapio has studied photography in Tampere and Jyväskylä, and he is qualified with a Specialist Vocational Qualification in Media in 2021, along with a Further Qualification in Photography in 2017.

In 2021, Tapio was awarded QEP Qualified European Photographer qualification by the Federation of European Professional Photographers. He has been awarded in several photo contests over the past few years, Winner in Architecture MasterPrize 2021, Honorable Mention in Prix de la Photographie Paris 2021, Nominee in Black & White Spider Awards 2020, Honorable Mention in International Photography Awards 2017.