Tapio Snellman is a London-based filmmaker engaged predominantly in architectural and urban subjects. His work includes immersive film installations, documentaries, experimental 3D animation and site-specific film projections for museums, theatre, dance and opera.

Tapio gained MA in Urban Design from the University of Stuttgart and a Diploma in Architecture from the Metropolitan University in London. He has taught at schools such as the London School of Economics, the Architectural Association in London and the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles. He is the founding partner of the creative production company ‘Neutral’ which he co-directed between 1998 and 2012.

Tapio has engaged in collaborations with creators such as architects Herzog & de Meuron, Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, David Adjaye, fashion designer Hussein Chalayan and choreographer Sasha Waltz on film, animation and performance projects.

Tapio’s films and installations have been exhibited internationally, at venues including the V&A, and Tate Modern in London, the Guggenheim Museum and MoMA in New York and frequently as part of the Architecture Biennale in Venice.

Biography

Born in Helsinki, Finland of Finnish / Swiss parentage
Vordiplom Architektur, Universität Stuttgart 1994
Diploma in Architecture, University of North London 1997
MA in Urbanism, Universität Stuttgart 1997
Work as an architect including at Toyo Ito Architects in Tokyo, Japan 1998
Director of Neutral, a multidisciplinary design studio together with Christian Grou from 1999 until 2011
Freelance film-maker and artist, since 2011

Exhibitions

ETH Zurich, ‘SESC & The City– A Social Archive’ 2021
Watari-um, Tokyo, ‘Lina Bo Bardi – Architecture for All’ 2015
S AM, Basel, ‘Filmbau. Constructing Film’ 2015
Graham Foundation, Chicago, ‘Lina Bo Bardi: Together’ 2015
MAXXI Museo nazionale delle arti del XXI secolo, Roma, ‘Lina Bo Bardi in Italia’ 2014
Triennale di Milano, ‘Lina Bo Bardi: Together’ 2014
Museum of Modern Art, New York, ‘Uneven Growth’ 2014
Schweizerisches Architekturmuseum Basel,’Lina Bo Bardi: Together’ 2014
DAZ Deutsches Architekturzentrum, Berlin, ‘Lina Bo Bardi: Together’ 2014
Slade School of Art, London, ‘Dalston Fluxus’ 2013
Arkitekturmuseet, Stockholm, ‘Lina Bo Bardi: Together’ 2013
Pavillon de L’Arsenale, Paris, ‘Lina Bo Bardi: Together’ 2013
Architekturzentrum, Berlin, ‘Lina Bo Bardi: Together’ 2013
British Council, London, ‘Lina Bo Bardi: Together’ 2013
Clerkenwell Design Week, ‘Vertico’ 2012
St Pancras Church, The Crypt Gallery, London, ‘Lingering Whispers’ 2010
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, ‘Late Night at the V&A’ 2010
HDLU, Zagreb, ‘Dogma’ 2009
Museum of Modern Art, New York, ‘Design and the Elastic Mind’ 2008
Tate Modern, London, ‘Global Cities’ 2007
Biennale di Architectura, Venice, ‘Cities, Architecture and Society’ 2006
Guggenheim Museum, New York, ‘Zaha Hadid’ 2006
Trienal de Arquitectura de Lisboa, Lisbon, ‘My World’ 2006
Norsk design- og arkitektursenter, Oslo, ‘My World’ 2006
Design Museum, London, ‘My World’ 2006
Centraal Museum, Utrecht, ‘Place to Passage’ 2005
Centre George Pompidou, Paris, ‘Place to Passage’ 2004
Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva, ‘Place to Passage’ 2004
Proje 4 L Museum, Istanbul, ‘Place to Passage’ 2004
Spazio Etoile, Rome 2004, ‘Place to Passage’ 2003
The Truman Brewery, London, ‘Place to Passage’ 2003
Kiasma, Helsinki, ‘Cities on the Move’ 2000
291 Gallery, London, ‘Seek 01’ 2000
Institute of Contemporary Art, London ‘Zaha Hadid at the ICA’ 2000
Hayward Gallery, London, ‘Cities on the Move’ 1999

Projection Design (Theatre, Opera and Dance)

‘Tommy’, English Theatre Frankfurt 2011
‘Scarlett Web’, Big Telly, Coleraine (Touring UK and Ireland) 2012
‘Dialoge’ Sasha Waltz and Guests Kolkata 2013
‘One Sandwich Short of a Genius’, Big Telly, Coleraine (Touring UK and Ireland) 2014
‘Orfeo’ National Opera, Amsterdam (Touring European Opera houses) 2014
‘Gulliver’ Big Telly Theatre Company/ MAC, Belfast (Touring UK and Ireland) 2015

Teaching Assignments

New Design University, Sankt Pölten 2015–2022
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture 2010
Technical University of Innsbruck
Southern California Institute of Architecture, Los Angeles
London School of Economics / Cities Programme
Architectural Association, London
Byam Shaw School of Art, London

Guest Critic

Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
London Metropolitan University
University of Greenwich, London

Lectures and Talks

SESC & The City, A Social Archive, Zürich 2021
South West Design Share, Phoenix,2020
100 Day Studio, Architecture Foundation, London 2020
Lunchtime Lectures, New Design University, Sankt Pölten 2020
Building on the Built, Jonathan Tuckey Design 2020
Korea University School of Architecture, Seoul 2015
New Design University, Sankt Pölten 2015
Goethe Institute, Kolkata 2013
University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Architecture 2010
Victoria & Albert Museum, London 206
Tokyo University Faculty of Architecture
Norsk design- og arkitektursenter, Oslo 2006
Institute of Contemporary Art, London
Central Saint Martins, London
Southern California Institute of Architecture, Los Angeles
Architectural Association, London
Technical University of Innsbruck
Kunstakademie, Stuttgart 1999