Aalto projects

Young Alvar Aalto – selected through an open architectural competition – designed a multi-purpose headquarter building for The Defence Corps of Jyväskylä between 1926–29. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the building was sold to the state and used until 1990s as an office building for the Finnish Postal Services.

The Jyväskylä Defence Corps Building (or sc. “State House”) was listed by the Act on the Protection of the Built Heritage in 1999. No major renovations were carried out, and the building was completely abandoned by 2009.

Conservation of this valuable property was particularly challenging due to its disrepair. The use of the building was prohibited due to collapsing hazard for years preceding the beginning of the renovation works. The discoveries made during the repair work rendered the task even more challenging.

The complete repair and partial restoration of the state house was carried out between 2016 and 2020. The works included the partial demolition and complete rebuilding of the building and the installation of more than 400 new foundations piles. At the same time, some functional changes were made to ensure that the building serves its new use as well as possible. The main interiors and façades were restored or reconstructed on the basis of archival sources and colour and structural studies.

repair and restoration 2016–2020
principal and architectural design by arkkitehdit mustonen oy
private client