AEWORLDMAP.COM (3,300+ posts)

Building: Finlandia Hall
Location: Mannerheimintie 13 e, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
Status: Completed in 1971
Architect: Alvar Aalto

AEInterest: Acoustics errors: tower and sloped roof create cavity over slatted suspended ceiling – unsuccessful attempt to create resonance similar to tall churches; balcony overhang muffles sound; layout not ideal for musical performance space. Thin marble slabs on the exterior have begun to curve with time. Restoration began in 1998.

Building: Austrian Cultural Forum
Location: 11 East 52nd Street, New York, New York 10022
Completed 2002
Architect: Raimund Abraham
Structural Engineer: Arup
MEP Engineer: Arup
Construction: Barney Skanska
Curtain Wall Consultants: R.A. Heintges Architects Consultants

AEInterest: 25′ wide, 81′ deep, 24 stories tall. Emergency stairs located on rear facade to maximize use of building width, as well as aesthetics. Tapers to meet zoning restrictions. Cantilevered director’s box on front facade. 2002 Award of Merit: Institutional Award
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Building: Paimio Sanatorium
Location: Paimio, Finland
Status: Completed in 1932
Architect: Alvar Aalto

AEInterest: Designed to be a medical instrument, contributing to the healing process. Emphasis on natural light. Exposed reinforced concrete structure.

Building: The Central City Alvar Aalto Library (originally Viipuri Library)
Location: Suvorova 4, Vyborg 188900, Russia
Status: Completed 1935
Architect: Alvar Aalto

AEInterest: Thirty-inch thick exterior walls contain building’s mechanical systems. Acoustically designed undulating ceiling in auditorium. Innovative use of wood in modernist architecture. Currently undergoing major restoration.