Villa Mairea

The most internationally famous building in the area is Villa Mairea, which was completed in the autumn of 1939, shortly before the start of the Winter War. The building was meant to be the residence of Maire and Harry Gullichsen. The progressive and open-minded couple were interested in the pure expression of modernism. The building was designed by architects Alvar and Aino Aalto, who were friends of the Gullichsens and who were allowed to use a rather free and experimental approach when it came to Mairea’s design. Under these favourable conditions, a unique masterpiece was created, which today is one of the top international works of 20th-century architecture. Aino Aalto was responsible for Mairea’s timeless interior design.

Villa Mairea has played many roles from the very beginning: it functioned as a residence, a family home, a space to exhibit Maire’s art collection and a home where the friends of Maire and Harry Gullichsen’s friends could enjoy their hosts’ considerable hospitality. Over the years, the building has hosted many celebrations, with a large number of top professionals from various fields, from musicians to visual artists, both from Finland and abroad.