I forgot to mention that on Friday I attended the final two lectures in the "Wood Works" series. The first was by Pekka Helin and the second by Matti Sanaksenaho. Helin feels strongly about the role of craftsmanship in architecture - although as Philip observed, his work doesn't always uphold his rhetoric. Helin noted that while steel and glass elements are almost always prefabricated, wood (and concrete, which he didn't mention) ones need not be. He also mentioned briefly a "soap treatment" for interior wood surfaces - over time the wood becomes softer and softer underfoot. I need to research this!
Sanaksenaho's work was more interesting, largely because his projects have stronger conceptual underpinnings. In addition, his presentation drawings are very attractive; his renderings include digital mixed media and watercolor over pencil. Sanaksenaho was the architect for St Henry's church in Turku. Shaped and built like an upside-down boat, this building was featured last year in the Nordic Heritage Museum's exhibit of Finnish churches. He remarked that the interior pine surfaces are unfinished and that the light coming into the space will, over time, permanently register on the wood - an architectural "goût de lumière." It is easy to make a building handsome when it is new, and old buildings are attractive simply because of their "age-value" (Alois Riegl's term), but it requires sensitivity and foresight to design a building that will weather gracefully from the former state to the latter.
30 April 2007
29 April 2007
Kiasma
One of the advantages of being a student here is greatly reduced museum admissions. For just 10 €, I joined the Finnish National Gallery; now I can stop in Kiasma or the Ateneum any time I like.
Does Kiasma have a significant site relationship? Not really. The geometry of the plan is based on the intersection of Mannerheimintie with the downtown street grid, and the building's curve is informed by sun angles, but these are mechanistic responses. They don't give the user of the building an experiential understanding of the site. The supposed vectors of "culture" and "nature" aren't evident. Besides, it is difficult to consider Töölönlahti "natural" as it is entirely surrounded by the city.
Additionally, from the exterior Kiasma has a disconcerting lack of scale. Although it is not an immense building, its monolithic massing, smooth surfaces, and lack of ornament make it oppressive. The architect, Steven Holl, deliberately strove for a " 'silence' created by eliminating the intermediate scale." (Kiasma: Museum of Contemporary Art. Helsinki: Rakennustieto Oy, 1998.) In fact, the fine scale of detail is absent as well, and the building is difficult to comprehend from the exterior. It seems overwhelming, even given its location near the (much larger) railway station and Finlandia Hall.
The interior of the building is quite successful, however. Here the absence of intermediate scale in the building is not missed, because the art itself fulfills that role. Indeed, at this level it is appropriate that the building recede so that the art is foregrounded. Considered details provide a texture that, in concert with the overall massing, brackets the intermediate scale of the art. Many details, including lighting fixtures and and door handles, are derived from the building's sectional and plan characteristics - which are themselves closely related. This fractal strategy results in a satisfying, organically unified interior.
Does Kiasma have a significant site relationship? Not really. The geometry of the plan is based on the intersection of Mannerheimintie with the downtown street grid, and the building's curve is informed by sun angles, but these are mechanistic responses. They don't give the user of the building an experiential understanding of the site. The supposed vectors of "culture" and "nature" aren't evident. Besides, it is difficult to consider Töölönlahti "natural" as it is entirely surrounded by the city.
Additionally, from the exterior Kiasma has a disconcerting lack of scale. Although it is not an immense building, its monolithic massing, smooth surfaces, and lack of ornament make it oppressive. The architect, Steven Holl, deliberately strove for a " 'silence' created by eliminating the intermediate scale." (Kiasma: Museum of Contemporary Art. Helsinki: Rakennustieto Oy, 1998.) In fact, the fine scale of detail is absent as well, and the building is difficult to comprehend from the exterior. It seems overwhelming, even given its location near the (much larger) railway station and Finlandia Hall.
The interior of the building is quite successful, however. Here the absence of intermediate scale in the building is not missed, because the art itself fulfills that role. Indeed, at this level it is appropriate that the building recede so that the art is foregrounded. Considered details provide a texture that, in concert with the overall massing, brackets the intermediate scale of the art. Many details, including lighting fixtures and and door handles, are derived from the building's sectional and plan characteristics - which are themselves closely related. This fractal strategy results in a satisfying, organically unified interior.
kuusi ravintolaa
Six Helsinki restaurants that I particularly want to try:
Nokka is on Katajanokka just under the cathedral. As much as possible the ingredients are carefully selected from Finnish producers.
Ilmatar is in the Kamp hotel on Bulevardi. It too emphasizes ingredients from small-scale Finnish producers. I remember reading that the restaurant is decorated in a Kalevala theme (Ilmatar is the goddess of wind).
Sundmans Krog. "Krog" is Swedish for bistro. This is underneath the Sundmans restaurant itself (which has a Michelin star), on Eleläranta just south of Katajanokka.
Safka, just around the corner from me in Kruununhaka. The emphasis is definitely on the food rather than the décor! It looks serious but not pretentious. My friend Katherine told me that she has eaten here twice and enjoyed it very much.
Chez Dominique doesn't seem particularly Finnish but it is universally regarded as Finland's best restaurant. It is one of only three restaurants in Scandinavia to have two Michelin stars. A la carte it looks quite expensive. However, there is an affordable lunch menu which includes sweetbreads (a favorite of mine).
Sea Horse is south of downtown, on Kapteeninkatu.
Nokka is on Katajanokka just under the cathedral. As much as possible the ingredients are carefully selected from Finnish producers.
Ilmatar is in the Kamp hotel on Bulevardi. It too emphasizes ingredients from small-scale Finnish producers. I remember reading that the restaurant is decorated in a Kalevala theme (Ilmatar is the goddess of wind).
Sundmans Krog. "Krog" is Swedish for bistro. This is underneath the Sundmans restaurant itself (which has a Michelin star), on Eleläranta just south of Katajanokka.
Safka, just around the corner from me in Kruununhaka. The emphasis is definitely on the food rather than the décor! It looks serious but not pretentious. My friend Katherine told me that she has eaten here twice and enjoyed it very much.
Chez Dominique doesn't seem particularly Finnish but it is universally regarded as Finland's best restaurant. It is one of only three restaurants in Scandinavia to have two Michelin stars. A la carte it looks quite expensive. However, there is an affordable lunch menu which includes sweetbreads (a favorite of mine).
Sea Horse is south of downtown, on Kapteeninkatu.
limppua
Finland has some very good breads - maybe too many, as the bread you like today might not be available tomorrow. Case in point: limppu from the Maalahden Limppu company. I bought a loaf of this wonderful rye bread a few days ago but can't find it again. I did try another brand of limppu, but that one contains oil and sunflower seeds and tastes horrible.
The Maalahden version is a dark, moist, flavorful loaf about 5 x 5 x 20 cm. It's like gingerbread in texture, but not taste; it's not spicy nor particularly sweet. According to the woman handing out samples, it was made originally for sailors (Maalahti is on the west coast, just south of Vaasa).
The Maalahden version is a dark, moist, flavorful loaf about 5 x 5 x 20 cm. It's like gingerbread in texture, but not taste; it's not spicy nor particularly sweet. According to the woman handing out samples, it was made originally for sailors (Maalahti is on the west coast, just south of Vaasa).
26 April 2007
25 April 2007
Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna ("castle of Finland") is a fortress complex located on an archipelago just south of Helsinki. Built in the 18th century, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.
Flowers on Iso Mustasaari, the largest of the five islands.
Door to one of the fortifications. No doubt Hardwick's stocks this hardware...
From inside one of the fortifications.
Wooden boats being repaired in the dockyard.
An unusual building on Iso Mustasaari, seen from Pikku Mustasaari.
Part of Suomenlinna is off-limits as it is still used by the military (it is the site of the Finnish naval academy). Rebecca considers what "pain of punishment" might entail, exactly.
What's so exciting about this building? Speculation is welcome...the answer in my next post!
It's still early in the year, so most of the restaurants in Suomenlinna are closed. However, the brewery was open and was not bad. I had pan-fried Baltic herring (fine) with wild mushrooms in cream (good), a berry/onion relish (very good), and mashed potatoes (excellent). The brewery's hoppy pilsener was more interesting than the ordinary Finnish beers generally available.
Flowers on Iso Mustasaari, the largest of the five islands.
Door to one of the fortifications. No doubt Hardwick's stocks this hardware...
From inside one of the fortifications.
Wooden boats being repaired in the dockyard.
An unusual building on Iso Mustasaari, seen from Pikku Mustasaari.
Part of Suomenlinna is off-limits as it is still used by the military (it is the site of the Finnish naval academy). Rebecca considers what "pain of punishment" might entail, exactly.
What's so exciting about this building? Speculation is welcome...the answer in my next post!
It's still early in the year, so most of the restaurants in Suomenlinna are closed. However, the brewery was open and was not bad. I had pan-fried Baltic herring (fine) with wild mushrooms in cream (good), a berry/onion relish (very good), and mashed potatoes (excellent). The brewery's hoppy pilsener was more interesting than the ordinary Finnish beers generally available.
21 April 2007
kolme suomalaista arkkitehtia
Yesterday, at Auli Puhakka's invitation, I visited Evata, the largest architectural firm in Finland (100 people, including 60 architects). Several international students, Rebecca, and I got a brief tour of the office and then a PowerPoint presentation from one of the principals. Rebecca said, "this feels like being back in Bruce Donnally's professional practice class," and indeed it did. (Were we supposed to write essays after the visit?) Specifically, it felt like being at Callison. We didn't hear much about building design, but we saw a lot of org charts and presentation graphics. I suppose somebody needs to design sports arenas, shopping malls, and speculative office complexes, but this type of work is not personally interesting. For me, architecture must be place-specific to be significant, and it must be derived from human needs rather than the dictates of corporate capitalism.
Earlier in the day we went to two lectures at TKK, the first by Mikko Kaira and the second by Anders Adlercreutz. These lectures were part of the "Wood Works" series that my friend Philip told me about and that complements TKK's famous wood architecture program. Mikko's lecture was fine, but Anders' was much more exciting. He showed us several interesting examples of his work, including his own greenhouse, a house for a conductor, and a day care center. While his designs are formally modern, he has a material sensibility that is informed by tradition. The conductor's house, for example, consists of two volumes, one of which is constructed of stacked logs. The surfaces used in the day care center were selected for their textural properties (smooth if they will be touched or leaned against vs. rough if they are not intended to be touched) and given associative finishes such as traditional red paint or aromatic tar.
Earlier in the day we went to two lectures at TKK, the first by Mikko Kaira and the second by Anders Adlercreutz. These lectures were part of the "Wood Works" series that my friend Philip told me about and that complements TKK's famous wood architecture program. Mikko's lecture was fine, but Anders' was much more exciting. He showed us several interesting examples of his work, including his own greenhouse, a house for a conductor, and a day care center. While his designs are formally modern, he has a material sensibility that is informed by tradition. The conductor's house, for example, consists of two volumes, one of which is constructed of stacked logs. The surfaces used in the day care center were selected for their textural properties (smooth if they will be touched or leaned against vs. rough if they are not intended to be touched) and given associative finishes such as traditional red paint or aromatic tar.
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