An entry called “Silmu” (Finnish for a leaf bud) by a team of young Finnish architects is the winner of the international Ruusupuisto design competition. The competition sought solutions that would connect and integrate two masterpieces by the architect Alvar Aalto – the Alvar Aalto Museum and the Museum of Central Finland – and develop the area around the museums in Jyväskylä’s Ruusupuisto park.

Pseudonym Silmu. Authors: Sini Rahikainen, Hannele Cederström, Inka Norros, Kirsti Paloheimo, Maria Kleimola

The popularity of the public architectural competition run by the Alvar Aalto Foundation and the City of Jyväskylä exceeded all expectations. A total of 689 entries were received. The prizes were awarded on ‘Architecture Day’, Alvar Aalto’s birthday, 3 February 2016, at the Museum of Central Finland in Jyväskylä.

The Finnish working group behind the winning entry are Sini Rahikainen, Hannele Cederström, Inka Norros, Kirsti Paloheimo and Maria Kleimola.

Authors of Silmu: Sini Rahikainen, Hannele Cederström, Inka Norros, Kirsti Paloheimo, Maria Kleimola

Second place went to “Kannel” (a name for the Finnish kantele or zither), a proposal submitted by another Finnish working group, and third place to “The Ground and the Roof” proposed by the Australian-Spanish SMAR Architecture Studio. Apart from the top three, two other entries were purchased and two were given honourable mentions.

Read more from the press release.

Further information:
Director, Alvar Aalto Foundation, Tommi Lindh, +358 44 562 1625, tommi.lindh (at) alvaraalto.fi