Published by Maahenkin, the book is the sum of two equal parts: photographs by Kari Palsila and texts by architecture critic Tarja Nurmi. As Nurmi notes, a generational change is taking place in Finnish architecture, and although many recognized masters continue to work successfully, younger masters come to the fore, and it is their 18 buildings that are collected in the new edition.
These projects not only develop the traditional features of national architecture (first of all, the connection with nature in its various aspects), but also respond to the changing situation, primarily the expanding urbanization. This is architecture that has left behind not only postmodernism, but also "rationalism" -neomodernism, it is free and fresh in its language, but not inclined to "sign". The whole trend of “icon” buildings has passed by Finland: according to Tarja Nurmi, one should thank the local architectural institutes for this, where they managed to save students from this hobby.
The selection of objects was handled by Kari Palsila, and all the photos presented in the book were taken by him especially for her. This relatively short but varied list includes buildings of varying degrees of "popularity." Among them are the well-known Finnish pavilion at Expo 2010 in Shanghai by JKMM Architects, the LPR Architects concert hall in Helsinki, the Kilden performing arts center by ALA Architects in Kristiansand, Norway.
Also shown are the less attention of the international press at Helsinki Airport in Vantaa PES-Architects, Paulig coffee factory in Helsinki by Tommila Architects, a wonderful library in Turku JKMM Architects.
But the most interesting are small, "everyday" buildings, where the best features of Finnish architecture were clearly manifested: this is the Pan Gyo residential complex in Seoul (Helin & Co Architects), a small community center for seafarers in the port of Helsinki by Ark-House Architects, designed for recreation and communication crew members of foreign ships, as well as a ring-shaped villa "Kari" (r2k-architects), built for a person moving in a wheelchair.
And, of course, this list would be incomplete without religious architecture: the chapel of St. Lawrence in Vantaa by Avanto Architects and the church of the Kuokkala district in Jyväskylä by Lassila Hirvilammi architects represent two versions of northern sacred architecture - “wooden” and traditional modernist.
The book also includes objects published on Archi.ru: new
University of Helsinki Library Anttinen Oiva Architects, Vellamo Maritime Center by Lahdelma & Mahlamyaki, Paasitorni Hotel in Helsinki by K2S Architects, Wuxi Bolshoi Theater in China PES-Architects.
The only reproach to the publication is the lack of "basic" information: dates, dimensions, names of engineers, landscape architects and other specialists can be found in the accompanying text only in a few cases, and there are no usual "tables" with data in the book. Also, there are few drawings and diagrams: for obvious reasons, photographs are the first in the illustrative row.
For readers outside Finland, buy Finnish Architecture with an Edge (
information about the book on the website of the Maahenkin publishing house) can be sent to [email protected] a letter with the name and address of the buyer, the name and number of ordered books.
Kari Palsila, Tarja Nurmi. Finnish Architecture with an Edge. Helsinki, 2013.280 pages.
ISBN 978-952-5870-69-5
N. F.
