Page 3 - AIT0523_RathausSaynatsalo

SERIEN IKONEN BEWOHNEN • LIVING IN ICONS

Selbst die Möbel sind noch im Original erhalten. • Even the furniture is still preserved in the original condition.

Sensibel angepasst: In den ursprünglichen Wohnungen ... • • Sensitively adapted: In the original flats, … ... werden heute die Gäste untergebracht. • … guests are accommodated today.

A lvar Aalto is indisputably one of the most influential architects of European moder- Taskinen and the city agreed that he would get a work space in the building. In return,
nism. His work ranges over a period from the early 1920s to his death in 1976 and
he was to take care of the house and keep it open for interested visitors. Taskinen is not
beyond. Together with his two wives Aino and Elissa, he designed more than 200 buil- an architect or art historian. His knowledge of Aalto was initially limited, as he himself
dings, including six in Germany alone. In addition, there are 300 unbuilt buildings me- says, to that of any Finn. After all, every household in the country has a chair or a vase
rely planned, as well as designs for furniture, luminaires and glass objects. His style was by the Aaltos in its cupboard. Over time, he worked his way into the subject. During our
characterized by his organic lines, his deep roots in Finnish nature and his imaginative visit through the house, Taskinen is radiant. He lives for the house, seems to know every
use and handling of a wide range of natural materials. Early on, Aalto provided decisive screw, every corner at every time of day. His passion for conveying the magic of the
impulses for a sustainable and people-friendly kind of building that have undoubtedly house takes hold of us, too. He says he was surprised at how many people came from
influenced generations of architects to this day. With full justification, Finland’s UNESCO far away to visit the town hall. So, he decided to further his education, to share his ac-
World Heritage application is currently underway under the title “The Architectural quired knowledge in guided tours, lectures and publications, also to make it accessible
Works of Alvar Aalto – a Human Dimension to the Modern Movement” for the world- to those who do not have explicit expert knowledge. Today, about 3,000 to 4,000
wide recognition of his artistic power and outstanding role for 20 -century architecture people visit Säynätsalo every year. The death of his beloved wife Aino in 1949 was in a
th
– just as Le Corbusier (2016) and Frank Lloyd Wright (2019) have already been recognized way a turning point in Alvar Aalto’s life. He had already initiated the “Red Phase” during
for their outstanding work. The process is lengthy and a true bureaucratic tour de force. his time in Boston. Brick was his preferred building material in the 1940s and 1950s. He
An important building block on this path is the civic engagement of the local popula- used bricks to form monumental, free-form structures, which he broke up and incised
tion, as well as raising public awareness for the preservation of the building in question. with various types of openings. This was also the case with the Säynätsalo town hall.
An important player on this path is Harri Taskinen. He moved to Säynätsalo about six Aalto won the invited competition in 1949 with a design that he characteristically called
years ago. While looking for an office space, he came across the deserted town hall. Curia. The careful composition of the components can unmistakably be read as a rein-
What had happened? After Säynätsalo was incorporated into neighbouring Jyväskylä in terpretation of Italian hill towns. These had deeply impressed Aalto on his journeys
1993, the staff gradually moved out. In 2015, the lights went out. The building stood al- through Italy. The ensemble consists of four wings enclosing a raised patio which, in
most empty for a year. While everyone was aware of the cultural value of the building turn, is closed off to the outside with high walls and draws all life inside. Two sets of
– it was listed in 1994 – there were no ideas how to manage it. After brief negotiations, stairs lead up to the elevated patio on either side. The tower of the council hall tops the

036 • AIT 5.2023