A home like a poem & 5 other Alvar Aalto gems in Finland—our best tips for your Aalto tour!
The tranquil Paimio Sanatorium, the Italy-inspired municipal building in Säynätsalo, and the workers’ housing area in Sunila are all the work of Finland’s most renowned architect, Alvar Aalto. Now is the time to plan your summertime excursion!
1. A tour of National Pensions Institute
Visiting The Social Insurance Institution of Finland, KELA, can be surprisingly memorable, especially at the institution’s main office building in Helsinki’s Taka-Töölö. Completed in 1956, it’s considered one of Alvar Aalto’s finest works. Many lighting fixtures and pieces of furniture were created exclusively for it, and while working on the building, Aalto introduced the ceramic rod brick seen on the walls—one of his trademarks.
One standout is the library, which features a reading alcove similar to the one in Aalto’s Vyborg Library. You can visit the main office once a week on guided tours, which require advance registration (opastukset.paatalo@kela.fi).
2. A little piece of Italy
Less than 20 kilometers from Jyväskylä’s city center lies a classic of modern architecture. Finished in 1952, the Säynätsalo Town Hall is one of Alvar Aalto’s most highly regarded works, still showcased in professional publications and on best-building lists.
Aalto took inspiration from his beloved Italy for its design: a cozy piazza was created in the courtyard to encourage gatherings, and the 17-meter-high council chamber was influenced by the Siena City Hall. Like many of Aalto’s best-known works, the Säynätsalo Town Hall feels approachable and harmonious in person. Connected to it is a library also designed by Aalto, which underwent a major renovation in 2023.
It’s especially worth visiting in summer, when you can also explore the nearby Experimental House in Muuratsalo. It was Alvar and Elissa Aalto’s summer home, where new building materials and techniques were tested. You’ll need to reserve a spot in advance to tour the house.
3. Villa Mairea, the most beautiful of homes
“This isn’t a house but a love poem,” a friend of Alvar Aalto reportedly said when seeing Villa Mairea.
Aalto designed many private homes, but his most famous one stands in Noormarkku. It was completed in 1939 to be Harry and Maire Gullichsen’s home.
Aalto was enthusiastic about Japanese architecture, and its influence is evident in many details. The interior design was handled by Aino Aalto. The couple had almost free rein, resulting in a groundbreaking total work of art that became a classic of 20th-century architecture. A striking detail can be found on the ground floor: a set of columns reminiscent of a forest.
The Gullichsens were avid art collectors, and they built hidden storage space behind partition walls. Villa Mairea is open for guided tours all year.
4. The sailor’s pad in Tammisaari
Author Göran Schildt (1917–2009) is remembered for his books about his sailing adventures, including journeys along Europe’s rivers and canals from Finland to the Mediterranean. He was also a friend of Alvar Aalto and wrote Aalto’s biography. Aalto, in turn, designed Villa Skeppet for Schildt and his spouse.
Located in Tammisaari, this home is the last private residence Aalto ever designed and one of the newest Aalto sites to welcome the public. It reflects Göran’s passion for sailing and Mediterranean culture: the roof resembles a sail, and Greek-inspired accents can be found throughout. You can join a guided tour of Villa Skeppet, and it’s also worth visiting the Chappe Museum in Tammisaari while you’re there.
5. Spend the night in Sunila
Alvar Aalto is often remembered for his striking cultural centers, remarkable private homes, and other iconic buildings. Less well known is the fact that he also designed housing for ordinary workers, such as in the Sunila neighborhood near Kotka. Built in the late 1930s, its functionalist-style buildings featured top-quality amenities for their time and were showcased at world’s fairs in New York and Paris.
Sunila’s popularity eventually faded, and for a while, it became a neglected neighborhood. Recently, though, interest has revived. Design enthusiasts have been buying Aalto-designed flats and furnishing them in the original spirit. Some have even turned these apartments into places you can rent on Airbnb, offering a must-try experience for fans of Finnish design. While you’re there, also see if some event or exhibition is taking place at the factory director’s Kantola house.
6. Paimio’s healing building
Visiting a former tuberculosis sanatorium might not sound like a typical vacation plan, but if you’re traveling in southwestern Finland, don’t miss Paimio Sanatorium. Completed in 1933, it brought Alvar and Aino Aalto international fame. Their main idea was groundbreaking: what if the building itself could heal? Everything from door handles and stair railings to chairs, lighting, and color schemes was carefully designed with patient wellbeing in mind. Because tuberculosis treatment required lots of fresh air and sunshine, a rooftop terrace was built for outdoor rest. The Paimio Chair, originally conceived for the sanatorium, later became a revered design classic.
A foundation set up to develop Paimio Sanatorium has brought new energy to the site and plans to operate a hotel there in the future. Even now, there is limited accommodation, a lunch restaurant, and a shop selling items like posters and books. You’ll get the most out of your visit on a guided tour that reveals the building’s stories.
Photos: Riikka Kantinkoski, Niclas Mäkelä, Timo Pyykkö, Jarno Kylmänen/Mairea Foundation, Pyry Kantonen, Visit Kotka-Hamina, Jaska Poikonen/Paimio Sanatorium Foundation.
This article was originally published in Mondo travel magazine 6–7/2024. Please check for updates on guided tours, as details may change.
