Säynätsalo Town Hall bears the mark of the master

Photo: Alvar Aalto 1898-1976.

One of the most beautiful and most highly regarded examples of Alvar Aalto's architecture is Säynätsalo Town Hall, completed in 1952. Perched on the top of a hill, the town hall is monumentally massive. The cosiness of its interior comes as a surprise, however. The building features all those characteristics on a small scale that Alvar Aalto held dear as an architect.

The Municipality of Säynätsalo's decision-makers showed considerable vision when they chose a competition entry entitled Curia as the design for their town hall back in 1949. The person behind the working title turned out to be Finland's greatest architect of all time - Alvar Aalto. Aalto had deep respect for local administration and through his architecture wanted to restore to administrative buildings the prestige appertaining to them; for this reason the town hall reflects dignity.

Aalto spent his childhood and youth in Jyväskylä. After his studies he returned to his home town to establish his first architect's office. The design of Säynätsalo Town Hall was an important commission for Aalto, since Jyväskylä and its surrounding areas, such as the Municipality of Säynätsalo just 15 kilometres away, were very close to his heart.

Complete work of art without parallel

The construction of Säynätsalo Town Hall took place at a turning point in both Aalto's personal life and in Finland's history as a whole. Aalto's first wife, Aino, died the same year as Aalto won the architectural competition. At the same time Finland was recovering from the hard war years. Despite his sorrow Aalto continued to work on the design project, which is considered one of the most beautiful of his career.

The town hall consists of four wings assembled around a square-shaped interior courtyard. The entrance is on two different levels. The council chamber is elevated to a special position from the rest of the building by virtue of its size and shape. It rises in the form of an imposing tower. Aalto managed to prevent the administrative building from being too office-like, since in place of dark corridors the rooms are linked by an atrium passageway which runs the length of the window wall that opens onto the courtyard.

The town hall marked the start of Aalto's red-brick period. Brick is the chief material for both the exterior walls and interior surfaces. The building's other important material is pine, which gives the rooms a cosy warmth. Copper was also used for the roof structures.

Aalto's magical touch was not restricted to just the design of the building, for the town hall is one of the best examples of a complete work of art. The building's many details - the leather door handles, the name plates, the furniture and light fittings - were all designed by Aalto himself.

Aalto's fascination with antiquity as well as Italian culture and architecture was inexhaustible. In Säynätsalo Town Hall these objects of interest can be clearly discerned. The terraced steps in the yard, the courtyard patio and the atrium passageway are all mementos of Italian architecture. In contrast, there are also signs of appreciation for the traditional Karelian style of building.

"God created paper for drawing architecture." Alvar Aalto, The Finnish Architectural Review 1-2/1958 Photo 2 below: The chief inspiration for the town hall is a Roman atrium, a courtyard surrounded by a building on all sides.

Photo 3 below: Säynätsalo Town Hall is still in active use. Visitors can explore the building during normal office hours. The council chamber possesses a unique atmosphere.

Photos 4 and 5 below: The terraced steps in the yard, the courtyard patio and the atrium passageway are all mementos of Italian architecture.

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GUIDE TO AALTO BUILDINGS IN JYVÄSKYLÄ Säynätsalo Town Hall 1949-52, Parviaisenkatu 9, Säynätsalo

University of Jyväskylä, Seminaarinkatu 15 - Teacher training school 1952-54, school and halls for ball games - Student hall of residence 1952-54 (now the languages department) - Student canteen "Lozzi" Staff canteen "Lyhty" ("Lantern") - Main building 1954-56

Swimming pool 1954-56; 1964; various alterations, known as Aalto-Alvari, Pitkäkatu 1

Muuratsalo experimental house 1952-54, Säynätsalo

Museum of Central Finland 1956-61; 1991, Alvar Aallon katu 7

Viitatorni apartment block 1960-61, Viitaniementie 16

Jyväskylä administrative and cultural centre 1964 - Central police station (former) 1970, Kilpisenkatu 1 - City Theatre 1964-82, Vapaudenkatu 36 - Office building 1975-78, Hannikaisenkatu 17 - Alvar Aalto Museum 1971-73, Alvar Aallon katu 7 - Muurame Church 1926-29, Muurame (20 km from Jyväskylä)





By Pia Tervoja Photos by Petteri Kivimäki and Alvar Aalto Museum