Functionalist architecture in Finland

Finland is one of the best places to see buildings in functionalist style. A great number of these buildings can be seen in the capital Helsinki, but occasionally notable examples of functionalism can be found also in smaller towns.

Understand



 * See also Wikipedia's article about functionalist architecture

Functionalism is a style of modernist architecture that emerged in the interwar period. The style reached its greatest popularity in Eastern Central Europe and Northern Europe. A bit reminiscent of Bauhaus, in functionalism common features include large blank surfaces (usually white, yellow or some other bright colour), straight lines, curved short sides similar to the Streamline Moderne style, simple forms (rectangles and circles) and flat roofs. Decorations such as patterns are rarely used in this style, but the play of light is often carefully used instead. The name functionalism implies that buildings should be designed (if not even optimised) according to their intended use.

"Building art is a synthesis of life in materialised form. We should try to bring in under the same hat not a splintered way of thinking, but all in harmony together."

- Alvar Aalto

Background
Finland had been part of Sweden until 1809 and part of the Russian Empire until 1917. Much of the pre-independence architecture was inspired from those respective countries, and the first decades of the 20th century were dominated by the styles of jugend (art nouveau) and Nordic classicism (the local interpretation of art deco). Even as some of the functionalist buildings (by Aalto especially) were built already in the 1920s, the 1930 Stockholm exhibition was what really made this architectural style fashionable in the Nordic countries. Some functionalist buildings were built in Norway and Sweden (Stockholm especially), but it was in Denmark and Finland that this style had the biggest impact.

In Finland, functionalism arrived at a time of urbanization and industrialization, which had started at the turn of the century. Cities grew rapidly, and public and residential buildings were built – many of them in the style of functionalism; which also became an expression of the country's newly won independence. The style continued to be popular until the 1960s, and especially in bigger cities like Helsinki and Turku there are plenty of functionalist buildings, and the style of architecture can also be encountered in smaller towns. Of course, many buildings from that day have been replaced by newer ones. Famous Finnish functionalist architects of the period include Erkki Huttunen, Pauli E. Blomstedt, Aarne Ervi, Viljo Revell, Eino Pitkänen, Erik Bryggman, Gunnar Wahlroos, Hilding Ekelund and Alvar Aalto; they would also come to create buildings in other modernist styles.

The country has two official languages; Finnish and Swedish. The Finnish language is not Indo-European, and therefore has grammar very different from most European languages. The bilingual experience has been cited as a source of inspiration for Finnish art, architecture and pattern design. Finland is traditionally Protestant. Both churches and other buildings share minimalist features with other Protestant communities.

Finland is also famous for interior design (including furniture, kitchenware and textiles) with brands such as Iittala, Fiskars, and Marimekko. Some famous items of interior design were designed by Alvar Aalto.

See
These buildings are famous examples of functionalist architecture; most are listed by the Board of Antiquities as "Nationally Remarkable Built-up Cultural Environments" (Fi. valtakunnallisesti merkittäviä rakennettuja kulttuuriympäristöjä) and/or by the modern architecture conservation organization Docomomo International as notable examples of modern architecture.

Few of the buildings below are "pure tourist attractions", though some serve as restaurants, hotels, event venues etc. and are freely accessible to the public. Others may be inappropriate to enter, at least without previous appointment with someone connected to the place, and such buildings can just be admired from the outside.

Helsinki and surroundings
Töölö is likely the district with the highest concentration of functionalist buildings not just in Helsinki but in all of the country. In addition to the ones listed below, the district has are several other buildings in functionalist style, for instance a former gas station turned grocery store in the corner of Mechelininkatu and Hietaniemenkatu and multiple apartment buildings. Käpylä does also have several such buildings, elsewhere in the city they are more spread out.

Töölö






Central and southern Helsinki




Further out






Elsewhere in Uusimaa
Espoo and Vantaa only started to grow in the 1950s, and apart from some factories they were mostly rural. As such major buildings tend to be from the time after functionalism.







Turku and surroundings
One of most famous functionalist architects, Erik Bryggman, lived and worked in Turku, and many of his buildings (both functionalist and other styles) can be found here. Also some of Finland's very earliest functionalist buildings, by Alvar Aalto, are in Turku.









Southeastern Finland










Vyborg and Karelia
In the heyday of functionalism, the 1930s, Vyborg was a Finnish city and one of the most important. As such, a couple of functionalist buildings were built in the eastern part of the city, mostly in the district known as Pantsarlahti. Apart from the Aalto library, they're not in such a great shape nowadays.




 * In the cities of Sortavala, Priozersk (Käkisalmi), and Svetogorsk (Enso) you can also find some functionalist buildings from the Finnish time.

Tampere






Satakunta

 * Kirkon-vaiheilla.jpg and its church]]
 * Isomäen maauimalan hyppytorni ja uima-allas.jpg
 * Isomäen maauimalan hyppytorni ja uima-allas.jpg
 * Isomäen maauimalan hyppytorni ja uima-allas.jpg

Finnish Lakeland

 * Eino Pitkänen who designed many functionalist buildings in Kajaani, also designed some apartment buildings in Kuopio.
 * Eino Pitkänen who designed many functionalist buildings in Kajaani, also designed some apartment buildings in Kuopio.
 * Eino Pitkänen who designed many functionalist buildings in Kajaani, also designed some apartment buildings in Kuopio.
 * Eino Pitkänen who designed many functionalist buildings in Kajaani, also designed some apartment buildings in Kuopio.
 * Eino Pitkänen who designed many functionalist buildings in Kajaani, also designed some apartment buildings in Kuopio.
 * Eino Pitkänen who designed many functionalist buildings in Kajaani, also designed some apartment buildings in Kuopio.



In addition, the districts of Wessmanninmäki, Hupeli and Tourula of Jyväskylä have some notable functionalist residential buildings.

Northern Finland

 * The Kajaani company also built and operated some hydroelectric power plants built in the region, they too were designed by Pitkänen. The Katerma (Kuhmo) and Koivukoski (central Kajaani) plants are good examples of functionalist plants.
 * Further northwest Aarne Ervi designed several hydroelectric power plants in the Oulu River, together with adjacent housing areas; Monta, Pälli and Pyhäkoski plants in Muhos and Jylhä and Nuohua plants in Vaala.
 * The Kajaani company also built and operated some hydroelectric power plants built in the region, they too were designed by Pitkänen. The Katerma (Kuhmo) and Koivukoski (central Kajaani) plants are good examples of functionalist plants.
 * Further northwest Aarne Ervi designed several hydroelectric power plants in the Oulu River, together with adjacent housing areas; Monta, Pälli and Pyhäkoski plants in Muhos and Jylhä and Nuohua plants in Vaala.