Description

The spiritual centre of the cemetery in the south of the city of Vantaa, which borders directly on the outskirts of Helsinki, is a medieval stone church. The chapel, by contrast, is a spread-out low-rise building that stands slightly apart and out in the open. The only landmark is the building’s integral bell tower, which signals the main entrance. All technical installations are located in the basement. The young architects Anu Puustinen and Ville Hara won the open competition for the chapel with 194 entries in 2003 and soon after founded their office Avanto Architects, named after the round hole that Finns cut in the ice for a winter swim. The chapel fuses tradition and modernity, which has been a particular trait of Finnish architecture ever since the days of its father figure, Alvar Aalto. The materials used are not just durable so that the building lasts 200 years, but also correspond to tradition: bricks for the masonry, natural stone for the floors and patinated copper for the cladding.

The shape of the chapel, however, is very modern. Its functional division into several sections of different heights, its large glazed openings and linear facades create a powerful sense of tranquility and also pleasant modesty. On the west side of the building which is stiffened by internal concrete walls, are three pools of water that have been inserted into the ground plan of the building. And to the south are planted courtyards in which mourners can gather.

The passage through the chapel is designed as a “path from farewell to eternity”. Small entry vestibules provide access to the two smaller ceremonial rooms, the urns room and the small chapel. A long corridor, its wall bathed in light by an off-centre skylight, leads to the large chapel with 130 seats. The glazed walls of the three rooms facing the inner courtyards have patinated copper-mesh screens that allow filtered light into the interiors while at the same time providing a degree of discreet privacy. A further essential part of the concept – the positions of which were planned from the outset – are two art installations made of glass by Pekka Jylhä.

Originally published in Bauwelt 29.2015, pp. 42-47, abridged and edited for Building Types online, translated by Julian Reisenberger

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