Finnish Architecture. Biennial Review 2016

10.11. – 07.01.2018

Regular exhibitions of the best contemporary architecture are a long-standing tradition in Finland. The current display comprises a selection of buildings erected in the last couple of years. The cross-section, which on the one hand includes public buildings such as university and school buildings, museums, hospitals and health centres, and on the other residential architecture, continually affirms the professionalism of Finnish building culture, good construction quality and intelligent architecture. The jury responsible for the selection of the projects was led by the internationally acknowledged Dutch critic and curator Ole Bouman.

Three of the 15 projects exhibited in the main hall of the Rotermann Salt Storage have earned a special mention by the jury: an apartment building made of cross-laminated timber in Jyväskylä (OOPEAA Office for Peripheral Architecture), the Opinmäki school and learning centre in Espoo with its minimalist architecture and forthright use of materials (Esa Ruskeepää Architects), and the context sensitive annex to the Serlachius Museum in Mänttä (MX_SI architectural studio & Huttunen-Lipasti-Pakkanen Architects). The latter was chosen from 579 competition projects in an international competition in 2011, where many Estonian architects also participated. Both the prized projects as well as others displayed at the exhibition are thoroughly presented with drawings and photographs, as well as models and film clips exclusively made for the exhibition. The exhibition is accompanied by a generously illustrated catalogue. Exhibition website: http://biennialreview.finnisharchitecture.fi/

In celebration of Finland’s 100th anniversary, the exhibition is accompanied by a lecture by architect Anu Puustinen (Avanto Arkkitehdit) on 29th November at 6pm. Avanto architecture office is run by well-known young Finnish architects Anu Puustinen and Ville Hara. One of their latest projects – the popular Löyly restaurant-sauna in Helsinki – has won numerous international awards and was among four finalists for the Finlandia Prize for Architecture last year.

Organisers of the exhibition: Museum of Finnish Architecture, Alvar Aalto Foundation, Finnish Association of Architects SAFA

Project Team:
Juulia Kauste, Chair, Museum of Finnish Architecture
Paula Huotelin, Association of Finnish Architects SAFA
Esa Laaksonen/Tommi Lindh, Alvar Aalto Academy
Exhibition Design: Philip Tidwell
Videos: Jonni Roos and Raimo Uunila
Producer: Juho Haavisto
Web: Tuomo Tammenpää
English translations: Silja Kudel
Editing: Essi Rautiola

Tallinn exhibition:
Mait Väljas/Koit Randmäe, Museum of Estonian Architecture
Timo Vikkula/Salla Bedard/Lena Kingelin, Museum of Finnish Architecture
Estonian translations: Re:finer

The exhibition and lecture in Tallinn are supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia and the Finnish Institute.