Finlandia Hall may be Finnish architect Alvar Aalto’s most recognizable gift to Helsinki, but a number of his other Modernist creations give visitors to Finland a sense of his aesthetic breadth.
1. Rautatalo (Iron House), Keskusk. 3. The stark facade conceals an airy atrium meant to recall an Italian piazza, one of Aalto’s favorite motifs.
2. Academic Bookstore, Pohjoisesplanadi 39. Finland’s largest bookstore named its upstairs cafe after Aalto, who designed the copper and marble building in 1969.
3. Savoy Restaurant, Eteläesplanadi 14. The €40 entrees are too pricey for the budget traveler, but the decor is all Aalto’s work—right down to the trademark vases.
4. Stora Enso Headquarters, Kanavak. 1. This ultramodern “sugar cube” overlooks Helsinki's South Harbor and provides a provocative contrast to the two magnificent churches that flank it.