Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Two Men Who Remade Helsinki
Eliel Saarinen (1873-1950)
At the turn of the 20th century, architect Eliel Saarinen burst on the scene
by pioneering the Finnish National Romantic style. Inspired by peasant
and medieval architectural traditions, his work was fundamental in creat-
ing a distinct—and modern—Finnish identity. The château-esque Nation-
al Museum of Finland, designed by Saarinen and his two partners after
winning a 1902 architectural competition, was his first major success (see
Two years later, Saarinen won the contract to construct the Helsinki
train station (completed in 1919). Its design marks a transition into the Art
Nouveau style of the early 1900s. The landmark station—characterized
by massive male sculptures flanking its entrance, ornate glass and metal-
work, and a soaring clock tower—presently welcomes over 300,000 trav-
elers each day.
In the early 1920s, Saarinen and his family emigrated to the US where
his son, Eero, would become the architect of such iconic projects as the
Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the main terminal at Dulles International
Airport near Washington, DC.
Alvar Aalto (1898-1976)
Alvar Aalto was a celebrated Finnish architect and designer working in
the Modernist tradition; his buildings used abstract forms and innovative
materials without sacrificing functionality. Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, un-
doubtedly Aalto's most famous structure, employs geometric shapes and
sweeping lines to create a striking concert hall, seating up to 1,700 guests.
Aalto designed an inclined roof to try to maximize the hall's acoustics,
with marginal success.
A Finnish Frank Lloyd Wright, Aalto concerned himself with nearly
every aspect of design, from furniture to light fixtures. Perhaps most not-
able of these creations was his sinuous Savoy Vase, a masterpiece of sim-
