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]

This article is about Aalto Centre in Rovaniemi. It is not to be confused with Aalto Centre, Seinäjoki.
Aalto Centre
Aalto-keskus
General information
Architectural styleModernism
Town or cityRovaniemi
CountryFinland
Coordinates66.496941°N 25.722974°E / 66.496941; 25.722974
Construction started1960
Completed1986
Design and construction
ArchitectAlvar Aalto

Background

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 (literally, "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

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

References
  1. "Aalto and the Post-war Rebuilding of Rovaniemi". AlvarAalto.fi. Alvar Aalto Foundation. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  2. 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. "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.
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