City Hall in Säynätsalo

The city lies on an archipelago by Lake Päijänne. The city council announced a competition for the design of the town hall after the establishment of the city, which was won by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto with a bold monumental structure. Aalto convinced the council after much persuasion, and the building was completed in 1952.
The civic center is a complex made up of two main buildings and a dominant meeting room. The rectangular building houses the meeting room, and spaces with U-shaped offices stretch around the courtyard. The courtyard is accessed by two staircases: a straight eastern staircase made of granite and an irregular western staircase formed by a terraced lawn supported by wooden planks. The entire area of the courtyard is elevated one step above the surrounding area.
The entrances to the main buildings are glazed and surround the courtyard. Directly opposite is a closed masonry staircase leading to the meeting room. The staircase is enclosed, with light filtering in only through skylights at the top. It leads to the most dominant part of the complex – the meeting room. The room has a square floor layout with 17-meter-high walls. The ceiling features exposed wooden beams supporting a construction emerging from two bundles. The beams negate the massive appearance of the building. The space is naturally lit by windows on the western wall. This room was the most provocative aspect of the design. The municipal council was skeptical about the prospect of a massive room given the small size of the town. Moreover, masonry for such a room would be very expensive. After Aalto's prolonged persuasion, the council members agreed to the proposal.
The library was founded in Säynätsalo in 1926. It originally operated in a clubroom of the school building designed by architect Wivi Lönn. Aalto's intention was to create a distinctive library in a small town where visitors would feel it was their own and be inspired to read and develop themselves. He situated it in a rectangular building. Windows along the wall provide all-day natural lighting. Since 1993, it has served as a branch of the regional city.
The building was influenced not only by modernism but also significantly by the Renaissance and medieval Italian architecture. The tower indirectly recalls its counterpart in Siena, while the layout of the courtyard partially refers to Piazza San Marco in Venice. The library and civic spaces leading to the courtyard connect with Piazza Vecchia in Bergamo. Small details also indicate inspiration from Italy (e.g., the terraced staircase). Alvar Aalto designed the town hall as a complete work of art, which is reflected in the design of even the small details and furniture specifically created for this building.
In 1993, it became a protected monument. Two years later, the town hall began renovations. The restoration was completed on Aalto's 100th birthday in 1998.