Architecture Corner 04/09 [updated]

Otaneimi Kapeli: From helsinki architecture tour 04/09

We haven't had an Architectural Corner for a while (Konna keeps threatening to write about various things, but...) but we are still (re)discovering new & old buildings around Finland and Helsinki in particular. The other week we combined our new found love of free-loading activities with architecture and took advantage of an architectural tour of Helsinki (and Espoo) organised by Suomen Rakennustaiteen Museo and ??? in conjunction with their lecture series. (See here for a map and album)

Starting at the museum we stowed away joined a coach load of foreign students and miscellaneous hangers-on on what was a glorious (if chilly) spring day. First stop was Puu-Käpylä  - an area of model worker's housing built in the early 20's, constructed from timber - hence the puu - (in this case solid squared-off logs and timber weather boarding with 'classical' details) this is an example of the Garden City approach to sub-urban housing, and one which is now much desired. We then strayed into the adjacent so-called 'other olympic village' (housing built for the abortive 1940 summer games), popped into the local church and back on the bus.

Next was Viikki - an area we have visited before (and I said I would write about... never mind), although this time we skipped JKMM's Viikin Kirkko (see Sept'08) and looked instead at the award winning 90's timber housing area (by Arkkitehtuuritoimisto Mäki-Marttunen KY) and the Infokeskus Korona (which as far as I can work out is the university campus library) which we hadn't seen, and is by ARK-house who also designed the nearby Viikin Normaalikoulu school.

From there we headed to the airport for lunch. No not Vantaa , but Malmi.  Now used for private and light aircraft this was the original Helsinki International airport, (previously flying to Helsinki meant coming by flying-boat or float-plane) built in 1936 but replaced in 1952 by Vantaa in time for the Olympics. The buildings are still evocative of their era and have been recognised by the DoCoMoMo workgroup.

We then swung back west. Stopping off at Myyrmäen Kirkko - and an ideal day to see Leiviskä's church, which could be described as a poem in buff brick about light. Then the Peitilä designed expressive-modernist housing at Suvikumpu, which could easily be from the last decade rather than the 60's. From there we headed into Tapiola - another (more recent) example of Garden City planning and development, were we look briefly at the central ice rink 'reflecting pool', swimming pool, walked past the hotel that Konna's office had been working on, then a quick peek into the a delicate 'brutalist' modernist concrete church by Ruusuruori (who also originally designed the WeeGee-talo building for the Weilin & Göös Print Works

Now we headed towards TKK (Helsinki University of Technology) with it's Aalto masterplan and main buildings, including the well known auditorium complexe.  Again this is somewhere I have seen before (actually I think it was the first Aalto building I ever went inside, back in 2004), but is well worth a second look with the benefit of having visited, studied and even blogged some of his other buildings.

Staying on campus, we finished with a very simple, but rather lovely building. Otaneimi Chapel, by Heikki & Kaija Siren, creating an entrance courtyard from unworked timber screens, and using the backdrop of the forest and an external crucifix to bring nature into the building through it's picture windows. The chapel space is reached through a low vestibule, and to one side where no direct view out is possible, so keeping the effect of light, height and view as a surprise on entry into the timber, mono-pitched volume. An old trick - but one that works. I had to double check that this was really built in 1957, as it still seems very 'modern' and fresh today.