April 24: Southern Finland tour – Villa Mairea
From Rauma we headed on to Villa Mairea, one of Aalto's most famous projects and probably my favorite one, in the city of Pori (though it was in Noormarkku when we visited, before Noormarkku got annexed to Pori at the start of 2010), built in 1938. No snapping was allowed inside (which I recommend investigating), but there was plenty of worthwhile stuff outside.
On the way in. The round poles outside and in are a lovely element that I'm surprised not to have seen copied much (in wood, anyway).
The North Face.
I wonder if this is a bathroom window. The public is not allowed upstairs; the Gullichsen family still uses the Villa, so that's understandable.
Pergola sun.
Other way round.
Contrasting masonries.
Quite the meeting of materials right here.
The roof going around to the rustic wing in back, where the sauna is.
Dalí-style gutter.
The way to the sauna.
The windows of the Japanese Room.
The funny scooped-out bit of the living room hearth, glimpsed from without.
The south end of the main wing.
A wider angle.
Totally kewl how this fence gets swallowed by the hillock.
A grassy lane, yesss.
The back edge of the sauna-house axis.
Spring is sprunging.
Stalker snap!
The dining room.
The pool, still covered for the cold season, and its hillock.
Looking back into the backyard from the entrance area.
Bye-bye, Villa Mairea. Byerea.
Nearby is this exuberant older Gullichsen family villa.
Roof party.
A quite particular tree.