Rautatalo
Helsinki, Finland
Exterior only
Visible from the street; the inside is private.
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Rautatalo, an office building completed in 1955 in central Helsinki, was designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and built for the Finnish Hardware Association—its name translating literally as "Iron House." The design emerged from Aalto's winning entry, Casa, in a 1951 competition. The exterior presents a stark, austere character, clad in copper plate on its main façade and brown brick on the sides, deliberately proportioned to harmonize with the adjacent classical building by Eliel Saarinen. This formal restraint contrasts sharply with the luminous interior, which features white Carrara marble and travertine and centers on Marmoripiha, an enclosed atrium naturally lit by 40 skylights and inspired by Mediterranean courtyards. Retail premises and a café occupy the lower floors, while offices fill the upper stories. Both the exterior and much of the interior are protected by Finnish architectural heritage law.
Architect
- Built
- Type
- commercial building, office building
- Heritage
- protected by the law on the protection of the architectural heritage in Finland
- Place
- Helsinki, Finland
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Location