Alvar Aalto - Finland
Seinäjoki Defence Corps Building
Kauppakatu 17, Seinäjoki

1924 - 1925


In 1924 - 1925 Alvar Aalto designed and built the Seinäjoki Defence Corps Building, for the
Southern Ostrobothnia Defence Corps, using the three-storey building as its headquarters. The building with mixed functions features a semi-subterranean ground floor, containing a circular assembly hall, foyer and cloakroom. This part of the building is made of stone and creates the base of the construction. The office level and the residential floor above are made of wood. The mentioned residential storey at the top has its own access stairs. This building is considered to be one of the most important works of Alvar Aalto's Neo Classical period. In this respect the unusual stair hall, the facade pilasters and the assembly hall with paintings in Pompeiian style are to be mentioned. A separate outbuilding was designed and constructed together with the main volume. This outbuilding is located on the other side of the courtyard, which was intended as a drill and parade ground. The ground floor of this two-storey volume is made of rendered brick and contains an arms depot, sauna, garage, guardhouse and laundry, while in the upper storey are housed four small apartments.