THE INNOVATIVE LEGACY OF REIMA

PIETILA IN ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM

BY: COLLINS MWEWA

:CHIBALE.C.KAFULUBITI
  Reima Pietilä was a renowned Finnish
INTRODUCTION architect, urban planner, and educator. He
was born in 1923, Finland.
 He graduated from the Helsinki University
of Technology in 1949 and soon after he
established his own architectural practice,
Reima Pietilä Architects, with his wife Raili
Pietilä, who was also an architect.
 The couple had a profound influence on
Finnish architecture, inspiring a generation
of architects to embrace organic design
principles, embrace regional identity, and
consider the natural environment when
designing designed various public and
private buildings, including residential
complexes, churches, and cultural
institutions.
 PROFESSIONAL CAREER
 Reima Pietilä and his wife’s career can be divided into three phases which kicked off in
the 1960s, which is marked with three major projects such as:
 Kaleva Church (1966) in Tampere,
 Dipoli building (1966) in Otaniemi,Espoo.
 Suvikumpu apartment block (1969) in Tapiola, Espoo.
 In 1973–79 he worked as a professor at the University of Oulu, And later worked on
projects, such as:
 Hervanta central axis (1979, 1989) in Tampere.
 Sief Palace Area (1982) in Abu Dhabi.
 Lieksa Church (1982).
 In the 1980s, the duo returned to organic forms typical of their early works while using
more sophisticated materials and details. The major projects of this phase were:
 Finnish Embassy in New Delhi (1985).
 Tampere Main Library (1986).
 Mäntyniemi, the official residence of the President of Finland (1993) in Helsinki.
NOTABLE WORKS
 THE KALEVA CHURCH

 The Kaleva Church, located in Tampere, Finland, Completed

in 1966.

 The building sits on a small hillock at the head of the

convergence of two large roads lined with postwar apartment
blocks.

 The plan consists of a series of high and narrow concrete

wings made from 17m high hollow concrete u wing shapes,
with full height windows in-between. Each of these concrete
u's is slightly different. The external concrete walls were
originally meant to be bare but pale sand coloured tiles were
added later to blend more in with the surrounding buildings
Key features of the Kaleva  Sculptural Roof: The most striking
Church: feature of the Kaleva Church is its
massive sculptural roof, which
resembles the wings of a bird in flight.

 Integration with Nature: The church's

design emphasizes a seamless
connection with nature.

 Interior Spaces and natural lighting:

The interior features warm wooden
elements, creating a sense of serenity
and inviting contemplation, and the
design carefully considers the play of
natural light, and the acoustics
THE DIPOLI STUDENT UNION BUILDING

 Located in Espoo, Finland.

 Dipoli serves as the main

building of the Aalto University
School of Business.

 hosts various events and

functions since its completion in
1966
  OrganicSculptural Design and Integration
Key features of the Dipoli with Nature: The roof has undulating curves,
resembling waves or rolling hills, while the walls
Student Union Building: feature irregular shapes that blend with the
surrounding landscape.
 Dipoli
is seamlessly integrated with its natural
surroundings.
 Functionality and Flexibility: Focus on
functionality and adaptability. It was initially
constructed to serve as the student union building
accommodating various activities and events.
 Materials: The building uses extensively materials
from Finnish nature, such as pine wood, copper,
and natural rocks, it also incorporates materials
such as brick and concrete as well.
 Dipolihas 500 windows of which only four are
identical. As it can be seen in the images, the
building was planned for as little interference with
the natural granite of the site as possible; but
blasting the hard granite base rock inevitably
fragmented it.
 Interior Spaces: Characterized by open and
flexible spaces, providing versatile areas for
gatherings, meetings, and events.
 The design allows for natural light to filter into the
building, creating a pleasant and inviting ambiance.
FINNISH EMBASSY IN NEW DELHI (INDIA)
 The Finnish Embassy in New Delhi, India, which
bears the name “Snow speaks on the
mountains”, is a masterpiece of Finnish
architecture that reflects both Finland and
India.
 Completed in 1987, the embassy building
showcases their innovative approach to
architectural design, combining modernist
principles with inspiration drawn from
traditional Indian architecture
 The focal point of the Embassy’s architecture
is the shape of the roofs, which are
reminiscent of the sculptures nature carves
into ice during the freezing winters among the
most ambitious efforts to create an
architectural symbol for Finland.
 In Reima Pietilä’s opinion, the Chanakyapuri
diplomatic district where the embassy is
located was visually too incoherent to provide
references for design. Therefore, he designed
the building as a ‘landscape sculpture.

Key features of the Finnish
Embassy in New Delhi:
Organic and Sculptural Forms: True to the Pietiläs'
style, the embassy features organic and sculptural
forms that resemble the shapes found in nature. The
design is characterized by flowing lines, curves, and
expressive angles, creating an artistic and dynamic
appearance.
Material Choice: The exterior of the embassy is clad
in red sandstone, a traditional material widely used in
Indian architecture. This choice not only connects the
building to its Indian context but also gives it a
distinct visual identity.
Sustainable Design: The embassy incorporates a
central courtyard, which is a typical feature of
traditional Indian architecture which provide natural
ventilation/cooling and daylight to the interior spaces
and promoting passive cooling and natural lighting.
Symbolism and cultural integration: The design
includes symbolic references, connecting the embassy
to Finnish cultural heritage.
The Finnish flag's blue-and-white colors were
considered into design elements while incorporates
functional and efficient spaces for diplomatic
activities
THE LEIKSA CHURCH
 The Lieksa Church, stands as a
unique example of combining
Classicist themes with modernist
elements.
 The new Lieksa Church follows the
cruciform plan of its predecessor but
incorporates additional spaces,
resulting in a slightly asymmetrical
layout.
 The modern structure features a
massive stone base, white-painted
timber cladding, and a dome
reminiscent of the previous design.
 The dome is constructed using
prestressed arches and thin
cylindrical shells.
Natural light floods the interior through skylights
positioned between the double arches.

The altar area is graced by a large window that

offers a view towards the surviving bell tower from
the previous church.

In a nod to the region's cultural heritage, the

Pietiläs incorporated traditional embroidery patterns
into the church's intricate details, adding a touch of
local significance to the design.

In summary, the Lieksa Church represents a

harmonious blend of classic and modern
architectural elements, paying tribute to its historical
context while embracing innovation and the Pietiläs'
distinct design philosophy.
SUVIKUMPU COMPLEX
 Suvikumpu is a residential
neighbourhood located in Tapiola.
 In the competition and the
completed project, the concept
was an eel shape and its
incorporation into the design is
very evident upon inspection.
 The first three buildings form a
stepping eel shape (which was its
concept) on the north west corner
of the site, making it look
continuous but its actually three
buildings which step in height
from 9 floors to 3 from east to
south.
 The exterior of the building is
painted in different shades of green
to match the spruce, pine and birch
green of the surrounding forest.
 Suvikumpu stands out as an
archetypal project in his ideas
about modernism.
 The need to blend the natural
landscape and the building and the
manipulation of materials,
construction and form.
Mantynieme
 Mantynieme is the official residence
of the Republic of Finland. It is the
first custom- built residence for the
president of the republic of Finland.
 The house and its setting are a
harmonious area as Reima worked
hand in hand with landscape architect
Maj-Lis Rosenbrojer to project the
natural vegetation on the site.
 The two wanted to make the
environment seem as Finnish as
possible which features a variety of
trees, including birch, pine, rowan,
and oak, blending harmoniously with
the coastal landscape.
 The elevations are made of Finnish
granite, glass, and copper sheeting, with
some of the inside walls also using
granite.

 The interior design was made to blend

with its exterior, including a range of art,
furnishings, textiles, and tableware
designed specifically for the house.

 It was the last work by the Pietila

husband and wife team, however, it is an
impressive work of art featured in the
history of Finnish architecture and
considered one of their greatest creations.
CRITICISMS AGAINST PIETILA’S APPROACH TO
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND URBANISM

 Functional Challenges

 Limited Accessibility

 Maintenance and Practicality

 Lack of Clear Style

 Expense

 Cultural Appropriation

 Limited Mass Appeal