Walk in Alvar Aalto´s footsteps
The world-renowned architect and designer Alvar Aalto has left his mark on Satakunta. Alvar Aalto’s work is featured at various destinations and as part of many tours and events.
Alvar Aalto in Pori and Satakunta
Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) was an internationally renowned architect and designer. He is one of the most significant architects Finland has ever produced. While his early work represented the Nordic classicist style that was in vogue at the time, his many trips abroad shaped the style of Aalto and his architect wife, Aino Aalto, more towards the latest international modernist trends.
For more information on the Aaltos, visit www.alvaraalto.fi.
The National Alvar Aalto Route leads you to destinations such as Villa Mairea in Noormarkku, Pori, and the Terraced House in Kauttua, Eura. The Alvar Aalto Route showcases the architect’s extensive body of work across Finland, offering a rich array of sights and experiences. Alongside architectural highlights, Aalto-themed journeys invite you to enjoy nature, delicious local cuisine, relaxing sauna moments, and scenic boat excursions. Explore sample itineraries and book your trip through our partner travel agency—or discover the destinations at your own pace.
Learn more about the route at visit.alvaraalto.fi.
Villa Mairea – A Masterpiece of Modern Architecture
Located in Noormarkku, Pori, Villa Mairea is one of Finland’s most renowned architectural landmarks. Alvar and Aino Aalto designed the house for their friends Maire and Harry Gullichsen, and it was completed in 1939. The international art collection of Maire Gullichsen, known for her significant role as an art patron, is still on display in the house.
The building is managed by the Villa Mairea Foundation, which presents the house to the public, oversees its collections, and preserves the legacy of Maire and Harry Gullichsen. Villa Mairea can be visited on guided tours throughout the year.
Learn more on the Villa Mairea website: https://villamairea.fi/.
Terraced House in Kauttua, Eura
You can explore Aalto-designed sites also in the Kauttua Ironworks area. Here, you can experience a cross‑section of daily life as it once was for the ironworks community, inside spaces designed by Alvar Aalto. The Terrace House is a functionalist residential building designed by Aalto and located in the Kauttua Ironworks Park in Eura. It is considered one of his most significant works. Completed in 1938, the building was originally designed for senior staff of A. Ahlström Oy’s Kauttua mills. One of the apartments serves as an exhibition space and is furnished with vintage Artek furniture and lighting. The apartment hosts changing exhibitions, and the items in the sales display are updated regularly.
Learn more about the Kauttua area at www.kauttuanruukki.fi.
Alvar Aalto group tours of the Noormarkku Works by advance reservation
Following in the footsteps of Alvar and Aino Aalto in Noormarkku – the collaboration between Aalto and Ahlström from the 1930s to the 1950s
On this guided cultural tour, visitors learn more about the long-term collaboration between Alvar Aalto and Ahlström, which began from the friendship between Maire and Harry Gullichsen and Aino and Alvar Aalto. The tour covers the results of the collaboration between Aalto and Ahlström at several of Ahlström’s industrial locations, as well as fascinating unrealised plans at the Noormarkku Works and the Kauttua Works. On this tour, Villa Mairea is only seen from the outside. Visitors also get to take in the magnificent ironworks area as a whole.
Ahlström Voyage exhibition at the Noormarkku Works
The Ahlström Voyage exhibition in the ironworks’ old workshop sheds light on the story of the Ahlström companies from 1851 to the present day. The exhibition includes art glass from the company’s Iittala, Karhula and Riihimäki glass factories, including several unique Savoy vases designed by Alvar Aalto, along with pieces designed by Tapio Wirkkala, and the Orkidea vase by Timo Sarpaneva. In the downstairs area, you can see a model of the Noormarkku Works created by Taina Pailos. It illustrates the size of the ironworks and the relationships between the various buildings. The exhibition provides a unique look into the story of the Ahlström family and Finnish upper class life in the 1800s and 1900s.
Architecture, art and life at the Noormarkku Ironworks
The Noormarkku Ironworks was established by the nobleman Carl de Carnall in 1806. It began to truly thrive after it was acquired by the Ahlström family in 1870. The area of the ironworks was significantly expanded and developed, and the family also built homes for three generations in the area. The exceptionally large private area, complete with attractive parks and buildings, is well worth seeing. The cultural tour of the ironworks includes Villa Mairea, an artistic home designed by Alvar Aalto, and the Ahlström Voyage exhibition. The exhibition space is located in the upstairs area of an old workshop. During the tour, visitors have the opportunity to visit the magnificent old ironworks area. A meal at the Noormarkku Club is included in the cultural tour. The tour is not suitable for persons with reduced mobility.
Find more information and reserve a tour for your group at ahlstrominruukki.fi.