City of Jyväskylä
Säynätsalo office

Media release 18 July 2007

"Only team spirit builds"
An extensive Internet exhibition of the Säynätsalo Town Hall, designed by Alvar Aalto

"Construction work on the town hall started in May 1950 and the building was handed over in December the following year. The town hall was inaugurated on August 28, 1952 with the words "Only team spirit builds". The Säynätsalo municipality was fully aware that the building was unique. The opening speech included a passage stating that "Professor Aalto's creation is a bold design that departs from familiar styles and, perhaps for that very reason, it is more worthwhile than a conventional building!"

Those admirers of Aalto that come all the way to Finland visit the Paimio sanatorium, Säynätsalo town hall and Villa Mairea at the least. Between 3,000 and 4,000 enthusiastic students of architecture and experts on it visit Säynätsalo annually. The valuable building is now available for all on the Internet, at www.jyvaskyla.fi/saynatsalo/townhall. The exhibition also has a link on the Alvar Aalto Foundation Web site.

The town hall of a small municipality was an enormous achievement in its time. A design competition was held, and the building built as a result became the architectural and monumental centre of the Säynätsalo island. Säynätsalo was annexed to the city of Jyväskylä in 1993. The old administrative facilities of the building are still used, now as a service centre for the inhabitants of the area. The building is open to visitors.

The new Internet exhibition includes a large number of drawings and photographs in addition to an architectural description of the building. The history of the building is discussed in the text. The history of the factory is also briefly described. Enthusiasts often ask questions about the building; the extensive information package now available to all will answer these questions.

The exhibition is produced by the Säynätsalo office of the City of Jyväskylä. The text is written and picture layout designed by the curator of education, M.A. Teija Isohauta. The work is based on research carried out at the Alvar Aalto Museum. The drawings are from the museum archives, and photographs include both new material and pictures from the archive. The graphical design and the realization of the site is by web designer Päivi Hintsanen. The exhibition will be simultaneously published in Finnish and in English. The translation of the exhibition is by Nicholas Mayow.

Pictures in the release: Archives of the Alvar Aalto Museum / Maija Holma.
Picture 1
Picture 2

For more information:
Mirja Helin, City of Jyväskylä / Säynätsalo office
Tel. +358 (0)14 623 815, +358 (0)40 583 7720
Fax +358 (0)14 623802
mirja.helin@jkl.fi
www.jyvaskyla.fi/saynatsalo

Additional information:
Mirkka Vidgrén
Alvar Aalto Museum / Information
Tel. +358 (0)14 624 813, +358 (0)400 254 708
Fax +358 (0)14 619 009
mirkka.vidgren@alvaraalto.fi
www.alvaraalto.fi