Laura Haapakangas (b.1985) is a set and costume designer who has worked with performing arts and film since 2006. She graduated as a set designer from Aalto University in Helsinki in 2018. Haapakangas’ work has been seen on the big stages of Finnish theatres, for example at The Finnish National Theatre and Lahti City Theatre, and on the stages of smaller theatres like Q-teatteri, Theatre Viirus, Theatre Takomo and Zodiak – Centre for New Dance. In addition to her works with W A U H A U S Haapakangas is known for performances such as Den Andra Naturen (Theatre Viirus, 2018), WunderKinder (Teater90°, 2016), and Tavallisuuden aave (Q-teatteri, 2016). Her most recent film set design was for Tottumiskysymys (Tuffi Films Oy, 2019), which dealt with the unfavorable power structures women face. 

 

Haapakangas’ work is often characterized by the investigation of material hierarchies and tactilities. The scenic images of her works evoke questions of power, and that which is natural and unnatural, as well as familiar and unknown. Most of her work takes place in performances situated between the genres of dance, theatre, and live art. Haapakangas has worked together with W A U H A U S since 2015 and been a part of the performances  Fields of Glory (Zodiak / Helsinki Festival, 2015), Flashdance (Zodiak, 2016) and Sapiens – The story of a storytelling species (The Finnish National Theatre, 2019).