In the island district of Säynätsalo, surrounded by forests and water, stands one of Finland’s architectural gems: the Säynätsalo Town Hall. Designed by Alvar Aalto and completed in 1952, it blends civic purpose with natural harmony — red brick, pine trees, and human-centered design.
Today, the Town Hall is alive once more — thanks to dedicated local stewardship. One key figure is Harri Taskinen, co-founder of Tavolo Bianco, the company that now runs guided tours, residencies, and overnight stays in this architectural masterpiece.
Arrival: Where It All Begins
Harri moved to Säynätsalo in 2016, looking for a quiet life near Jyväskylä. What he found was a shuttered Town Hall that tourists admired from outside — but couldn’t enter.
“Tourists would come and walk around, but the building was closed. So I sent an email to the city, asking if I could rent an office,” he recalls. The city handed him the keys.
With co-founder Heli Leinonkoski, Harri launched Tavolo Bianco, which has since grown into the heart of the Town Hall’s revival. Heli sold her share of the company to Harri in 2020.
Climbing the Stairs: From Monument to Courtyard
As you ascend the granite steps, Säynätsalo Town Hall feels monumental. Its layered red-brick façade and tower rise confidently above the forest. But step into the inner courtyard, and the building transforms. Roofs tilt inward. The scale becomes intimate. The atmosphere quiets.
“Aalto really understood scale,” Harri says. “From outside it feels big, but inside it calms down.”
There’s no basement — just raised earth forming a hill beneath the courtyard. It’s Aalto’s illusion at work: a civic building that never overwhelms.
The Library and Guest Apartments
The public library, still in use today, is filled with warm light, soft wood, and vines that filter the sun depending on the season. Across the courtyard are original staff apartments, some of which are now stylish Airbnb and Booking.com rentals managed by Tavolo Bianco.
“I work from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. when I’m here,” Harri says. “But I love it. Then I go to Asia and slow down.”
The Administrative Wing: Light, Transparency, and Detail
The administrative wing features meeting rooms, offices, and walkways framed in glass. Sunlight flows through uninterrupted. Aalto used brick, pine, glass, and leather to lead the visitor naturally through the building.
“Even the door handles are soft leather,” Harri notes. “Nothing cold or corporate. Just design that feels good in your hand.”
The Council Chamber: Architecture for Democracy
Then you reach the council chamber — the most dramatic room. It’s tall, dark, and ceremonial. Massive “butterfly” beams soar above. Light is indirect, diffused by wooden shades and custom-designed 1952 lamps.
Councillors’ pinewood chairs each bear a silver nameplate. The public seating gallery sits half a meter higher.
“In democracy, the people are above the representatives,” Harri says. “That’s what this design says — quietly but clearly.”
There was once a painting here by Fernand Léger, gifted to Aalto. Rejected by the city council, it was bought privately by Aalto — and later sold at auction for nearly €500,000.
The People Behind the Building
Elsa-Kaisa Mäkiniemi, later Elissa Aalto, served as the on-site architect and married Alvar in 1952. Nearby, they built the Muuratsalo Experimental House, which you can still visit today.
Maija Heikinheimo, who became Artek’s managing director and designer after Aino Aalto, worked closely on the Town Hall’s interior and furniture design.
A Living Building
Today, the Town Hall hosts:
- Guided tours and architecture visits
- Overnight stays in restored apartments
- Exhibitions, residencies, and creative workshops
- Events for design lovers, students, and locals
“We’ve had guests from all over the world,” Harri says. “Architecture students. Design fans. People who didn’t even know what this was — but felt something once they stepped inside.”
More than 6,000 visitors walk through Säynätsalo Town Hall each year — not as museum-goers, but as participants in a living space.
On the Path to UNESCO
Säynätsalo Town Hall is on the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage status, with a decision expected in 2026. Recognition would affirm what visitors already know: this building is a rare example of architecture that fits, uplifts, and endures.
“I want to leave this place stronger than I found it,” Harri says.
🡒 Plan Your Visit
Discover the building. Stay in it. Let it speak to you.
Harri Taskinen contributed to this article, which combines an interview by Gladys Frame with Harri’s recorded guided tour at the Town Hall. AI was used to help merge and shape the material. Harri finalised the text and is responsible for the final content
