Mikko Laaksonen

Architect Erik Bryggman, works.

6 PM 20 Nov

The english-language lecture will take place in the EKA Institute of Art History and Visual Culture, Suur-Kloostri 11, Tallinn

The lecture is based on the book “Architect Erik Bryggman: works”, Rakennustieto 2016, available in English, Finnish and Swedish. The author will have some copies with him.

Erik Bryggman (1891–1955) was one of the most significant Finnish architects of his time. At the beginning of his career he designed a number of residential buildings in Turku in the Nordic Classicism style, which are considered some of the finest examples of this style in Finland. In 1927–1929 he, together with architects Alvar Aalto and Hilding Ekelund, introduced Functionalism to Finland. The Turku Fair (1929), designed jointly by Aalto and Bryggman, was a manifesto for Functionalism. The Vierumäki Sports Institute (1931–36), the Åbo Akademi University Book Tower (1934–35) and Sampo House (1936–38) are key Functionalist buildings in Finland. The Resurrection Chapel (1938–41) in Turku established Modernism in the design of Finnish churches.

During the post-war reconstruction era Bryggman designed a number of schools, hospitals and residential buildings. In addition to these, Architect Erik Bryggman: Works also presents his final design works, the Lappeenranta, Lohja and Honkanummi Funerary Chapels, buildings that have been only rarely featured in previous publications on Bryggman, as well as his key private commissions, such as private homes, farmhouses and villas.

The book presents all of Bryggman’s realized works as well as those major unimplemented works that had a significant influence on the development of his architecture. The illustrations include photographs of the historical and current situations of the works as well as picture material from the Erik Bryggman drawings archive. The book is intended for researchers, students and all those interested in modern architecture.

Non-fiction writer Mikko Laaksonen MA (b. 1975) acts as a representative of the Bryggman Institute. He has previously written the books Turun puutalot [Turku wooden houses] (2016), Turun seutu kartoin [The Turku Region in Maps] (2015), Turun seudun arkkitehtuuriopas [Turku Region Architecture Guide] (2013, together with Juri Nummelin) and Turun raitiotiet [Turku Tramways] (2008).