Expanses of white marble from Carrara in Northern Italy contrast with black granite in the elegant Finlandia Hall by Alvar Aalto.
Finlandia Hall by Alvar Aalto, Helsinki, Finland
Photo © 2007 harryfn/iStockPhoto Finlandia Hall in Helsinki is both functional and decorative. The building is composed of cubic forms with a tower that architect Alvar Aalto hoped would improve the building's acoustics.
The concert hall was completed in 1971 and the congress wing in 1975. Over the years, several design flaws surfaced. Balconies on the upper level muffle the sound. The exterior Carrara marble cladding was thin and began to curve.
An expensive restoration project began in 1998.
Finlandia Hall Official Site
