Helsinki 2005
4 June 2005
AIACE Has Come Of Age!
Our membership is now spread over some 30 to 40 countries, a large portion of which is from the US. During the Helsinki event I have talked to some members from Israel and assured them we would take care of their needs from Continental Europe. With Steven Miller, FAIA, now settling in Dubai, we will represent the United Arab Emirates as well, for as long as there are no claims from others.
During the Convention in Las Vegas, AIA National adopted the creation of an overseas director. This position would rotate as a selected representative among the different overseas chapters.
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The General Membership Meeting:
Attended by some 40+ members — footnote from the President
In a chapter that almost equals, geographically speaking, the size of the US from coast-to-coast, members of the Board of Directors should not be recruited just from western Europe (mostly France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland). Furthermore, we need efficient ways of communicating.
Since getting together for Board meetings is not easy — especially with a quorum requirement of seven members, of which three have to be directors — e-mail voting, video, and telephone conferencing are ways to bridge the gap. One measure was adopted to increase board participation. Others were tabled for future consideration. (See the minutes for additional information.)
With thorough preparation beforehand of issues to be addressed, this could be avoided — discussions need to be concise, limited, and within reasonable time constraints. It goes without saying, being well prepared for a meeting will greatly facilitate the process, professionalize the chapter, and ensure that we meet our objectives.
All “new business” items must be submitted in advance of meetings by mail (e-mail) for inclusion in the agenda, in order for members to effectively prepare themselves. “New business” items not submitted for inclusion in the agenda will not be permitted for discussion at meetings.
Reflections On The AIACE Helsinki 2005 Conference
Having visited Helsinki some 35 years ago as a young architecture student, I was surprised by how little has changed. Helsinki has always been a "modern" city and still is. Taxes are steep, but pay for everyone’s high standard of living and services.
Helsinki is the largest city in Finland and the people are extremely friendly and helpful. Except for the tourists there are very few foreigners. Alongside Finnish, the Swedish, Russian, and sometimes English languages are commonly seen and heard. There are hardly any gas-guzzling four wheel drive vehicles, no honking, even during rush hour, and pedestrians patiently wait for the light to turn.
Housing provided by the city-owned development companies is heated centrally and each (new) apartment has a built-in sauna, as if a required extension of the bathroom. Cold temperatures and little sunlight for a large portion of the year have contributed to the Finns spending much of their free time indoors.
It is for these reasons we find a wonderful array of colors in interiors, clothing, and design. One also notices a plethora of wood used as a major building material — in finishes, furnishings, and many exteriors. Besides being so plentiful, it is perhaps due to the feeling of “warmth” it imparts.
Our conference, occurring in late spring, afforded us an early sunrise (the better to catch that 8:15 bus!), and the sun did not set until after 11 p.m.
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The walking tour included the famous train station building by Eliel Saarinen, |
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which served as a model for many train stations throughout Europe. |
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After a quick break at the Sanomat Building, headquarters of Helsinki’s premier newspaper, we got a glimpse of Steven Holl’s Kiasma Museum of Modern Art. Like a beached whale, it occupies the space between the edge of downtown and an outdoor market on the way to Finlandia Hall.
Luckily the weather played along and allowed us a glimpse of the city populated with hundreds of young people enjoying the balmy evening on a stretch of grass in front of the museum.
I remembered the marble “pillow” benches in the hallways of Alvar Aalto’s Finlandia Hall and, yes, they are still there. Five years ago the marble façade had to be re-clad, as unfortunately the stone does not weather the harsh climatic conditions well.
The concert at Chamber Music Hall by three superb young musicians (flute, clarinet, and cello) performing a piece by Jean Sibelius, as well as other compositions, made for a classy transition to dinner at Finlandia Hall.
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The early Saturday morning visit to Ruoholahti High Tech Center South, in what used to be a cargo port, gave us some insight into contemporary office design. |
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Generous public circulation areas connect visually with the equipment of the working harbor across the water. |
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Certainly in a class of its own is the KONE elevator headquarters building (principal sponsor of our conference). This stainless steel, triple-glazed tower, with several glass elevators prominently placed on the outside, commands an imposing location at the water’s edge.
The top floor of the 14-story structure is partially open to the sky. This wooden-decked terrace has movable glass panels which in winter can slide to enclose the space from the elevator access across the deck to a board room with fireplace and sauna.
Here, sipping champagne before lunch, we enjoyed marvelous views over the private harbor and Sony Center next door.
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The metal artichoke in front of the Dipoli Student Union at Helsinki University of Technology in Otaniemi still opens and closes squeakily at the push of a button.
The buildings by Pietilae represent a fascinating attempt to integrate landscape into architecture, albeit a little dated and in need of some restoration. Seeing it for the second time, some 35 years later, it seemed smaller in scale, not quite so breathtakingly exciting as before.
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Well-preserved however are the Library and Auditorium buildings by Alvar Aalto. Especially interesting are the different treatments for day lighting — rectangular skylights lining circulation, northern side light for the stacks… |
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…and big polka dots over the reading area. |
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| Don't miss the larger version of this group photo. |
The stepped area on the roof of the auditorium lent itself perfectly for a group picture as proof we had all been there.
We were told the windows into the lecture hall had recently been taped shut because of glare, the same thing I was told 35 years ago!
Dinner was organized in the countryside at Hvitträsk buildings and grounds. Once the homes of Eliel Saarinen, father of the famous Eero Saarinen, and his architecture partner Armas Lindgren, these houses now contain a restaurant and museum.
The structures were built between 1901-03, when the partners were only in their mid-twenties and very successful. To entertain lakeside, they built a small cottage with a fireplace, sauna, and boat landing at the bottom of a long stair through the forest.
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Before leaving Helsinki on Sunday afternoon we had the opportunity to visit some exciting contemporary architecture: The Arabia Center Redevelopment of Glass/Ceramics factory (with outlet store, warehouse, and design museum), a library… |
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…and the colorful ARK-House Media College by Mikko Heikkinen, Hon. FAIA… |
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…and Markku Komonen, Hon. FAIA. |
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The visit to the Vuotalo Cultural Center and library gave us some insight as to why Finnish youth achieve top scores for reading in Europe. |
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Exhausted, but inspired, after three days packed with culture and Nordic hospitality that “we will never forget” (words of Ahmet Vefik Alp), we boarded the buses that brought us back to the hotel.
Thank you, Hans and Grazia Buchwald, for making all this possible.
—Werner K. Rüegger, AIA SIA SWB 2005 President, AIA Continental Europe Chapter
—Edited by Maxine Karst Rüegger van Erlenbach!