Aalto Centre, Rovaniemi

The Aalto Centre (Finnish: Aalto-keskus) is an urban area milieu in the city of Rovaniemi, in the Finnish Lapland, designed by the renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, comprising the city's key administrative and cultural buildings.[1]

Aalto Centre
Aalto-keskus
Map
General information
Architectural styleModernism
Town or cityRovaniemi
CountryFinland
Coordinates66°29′49″N 25°43′23″E / 66.496941°N 25.722974°E / 66.496941; 25.722974
Construction started1960
Completed1986
Design and construction
Architect(s)Alvar Aalto

Background

edit

Up to 90% of Rovaniemi's building stock was destroyed during the Lapland War by the retreating German forces, necessitating the rebuilding of the city centre.[1][2] In January 1945, Rovaniemi commissioned a new urban design from the Finnish Association of Architects rebuilding unit, with the design work headed by Alvar Aalto.[2]

Aalto's eventual design, approved in 1946, is called Poronsarvikaava lit.'Reindeer Antler Plan',[3] and incorporates five arterial roads forming the shape of a reindeer antler.[4][5] In 1960, when Rovaniemi was granted its city charter, the formal decision was made to implement Aalto's plan.[5]

At the centre of the design, the complex of Aalto-designed public and administrative buildings is known as 'Aalto Centre'.[5]

The complex has been designated and protected by the Finnish Heritage Agency as a nationally important built cultural environment (Valtakunnallisesti merkittävä rakennettu kulttuuriympäristö).[5]

The Rovaniemi cityscape is one of two urban plans designed by Aalto which were eventually completed; the other being that in Seinäjoki.

Key buildings

edit

Notable Aalto-designed buildings in the centre include:

The park surrounding the Aalto Centre also forms an integral part of the milieu.[9]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Aalto and the Post-war Rebuilding of Rovaniemi". AlvarAalto.fi. Alvar Aalto Foundation. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b Pohjola, Aleksi. "Alvar Aallon Rovaniemi". LapinYlioppilasLehti.fi (in Finnish). University of Lapland Student Union. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Alvar Aalto in Rovaniemi". Rovaniemi.fi. City of Rovaniemi. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Jälleenrakennuskaava (Rebuilding plan)". Rovaniemi.fi (in Finnish). City of Rovaniemi. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d "Rovaniemen hallinto- ja kulttuurikeskus (Rovaniemi administrative and cultural centre)". RKY.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Heritage Agency. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Lappia Hall in Rovaniemi". AlvarAalto.fi. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Architecture". Rovaniemi.fi. City of Rovaniemi. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Rovaniemi". AlvarAalto.fi. Alvar Aalto Foundation. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Lauantaiviera: Tapiolassa puisto on asukkaiden yhteinen olohuone" (in Finnish). Lapin Kansa. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
edit