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L A P P I A H O U S E (1972 AND 1975)
FLOOR SPACE 8 500 M2, 91,953 SQUARE FEET
VOLUME 48 800 M3, 1.7 MILLION CUBIC FEET
Lappia House is the last of the buildings de-
signed by Alvar Aalto that was completed
during his lifetime. The Lappia House was
designed as a multi-purpose building that
today houses the Rovaniemi Town Theatre
– Lapland Regional Theatre, YLE Radio and
the Music College.
Although the Lappia House building was
not planned as an individual theatre building,
the point of departure for its design was for
the theatre to be specified as a public place
and to act as a counterbalance for the admin-
istrative buildings. Alvar Aalto also wished
to emphasise the theatre experience as be-
ing a festive occasion; the theatre hall is ac- tral element in the Essen Opera House de-
cessed via premises comprising a plaza, lob-
by and foyer, with Lappish marble covering
for the floors and china blue ceramic col-
umns that help beautifully enhance the fes-
tive dress of its visitors.
When designing the Lappia House, Al-
var Aalto wanted to renew architectural ex-
pression. There are no ninety-degree angles
on the exterior walls. The gently waved form
of the congress and theatre hall roof depicts
the forms typically found in Lappish fell high-
land landscapes. In the plans for the premis-
es, the auditorium and stage form the central
space, around which is the foyer and lobby,
as well as storage and maintenance facilities.
A similar sculptured feature is also the cen-
signed by Alvar Aalto.