Help save the Church of The Three Crosses by Alvar Aalto in Imatra, Finland
The Church of The Three Crosses in Imatra, one of master modernist Alvar Aalto's works, is in danger; Tiina Laakkonen has set up a fundraiser to help save it
![The Church of the Three Crosses (1956-58), interior, Vuoksenniska, Imatra](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/C4h6UE7Jx2VhetzAv8kTTR-415-80.jpg)
One of Alvar Aalto’s iconic works, the Church of the Three Crosses in Imatra, Finland, is in danger of being lost forever. Originally built in 1958, the modernist architecture church is a well-known work in Aalto’s canon, despite being set in the small town located at the southeastern part of the country. Although on the shortlist to become a Unesco World Heritage site, the church has suffered major water damage, and the consequences of years’ worth of deferred repairs and maintenance, decaying in front of local residents’ eyes.
Famed for its unique structure, which consists of three consecutive halls designed to suit a multitude of gatherings and social activities, the church includes a marble-adorned interior and site-specific furniture from the architect’s original design. It continues to attract visitors and design pilgrims, despite not being in use since 2020. While donations, including a sum of €400,000, have been received from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the repairs needed to save it are estimated to be between €3 and €4 million.
The Church of the Three Crosses
Church of The Three Crosses by Alvar Aalto
For Tiina Laakkonen, the Amagansett-based tastemaker behind Tiina the Store, who grew up in Imatra, witnessing the demise of Aalto’s masterpiece was not an option. So, Laakkonen has set up a fundraiser with a goal of €100,000 to help aid restoration efforts.
‘I always felt that great design and architecture was everywhere in Finland and part of people’s homes and everyday life. It didn’t feel like design was a kind of luxury that only the wealthy could afford but that was part of life,’ she says. ‘Aalto’s work is the perfect example of this. His work is still very much present in his public buildings, like libraries, universities and churches. The Church of the Three Crosses is considered to be Aalto’s greatest church and it’s wonderful that it happens to be in Imatra. As locals, we are proud to have such an important architectural work by Aalto in our hometown.’
The church’s interior
She continues, ‘The church congregation in Imatra has taken a €2.5 million bank loan. I feel that the government is the main funding method behind arts and culture in Finland. Somehow, this falls outside of that scope. The local organisers in Imatra are not used to this type of fundraising and I feel like they need help. It’s my way of giving back to my hometown.’
One of the church’s most pressing issues is to have its exquisite roof and structure repaired. ‘The roof lacks the correct ventilation and leads to water seeping in when the snow melts in the spring,' says Laakkonen, who has been working closely with the main fundraising team in Finland. ‘Some of the problems are related to Aalto’s exquisite design, others to the maintenance. I believe that the church is a national treasure that needs to be preserved.’
Save the Church of the Three Crosses
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Pei-Ru Keh is a former US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru held various titles at Wallpaper* between 2007 and 2023. She reports on design, tech, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru took a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars, actively seeking out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.
-
‘Hedonistic and avant-garde’: Rabanne’s Julian Dossena on the legacy of the chainmail 1969 bag
Paco Rabanne’s 1969 chainmail handbag encapsulates the late designer’s futuristic, space-age style. Current creative director Julien Dossena tells Wallpaper* about the bag’s particular pleasures
By Jack Moss Published
-
Postcard from Paris: Olympic fever takes over the streets
On the eve of the opening ceremony of Paris 2024, our correspondent shares her views from the streets of the capital about how the event is impacting the urban landscape.
By Minako Norimatsu Published
-
The Mercury Prize nominees for 2024 have been revealed
Charli XCX, The Last Dinner Party and Beth Gibbons are amongst this year's nominees
By Charlotte Gunn Published
-
The newest Centre Point Residences’ showcase is a masterful balance of art and furniture
Conran and Partners’ new apartment design for Centre Point Residences balances artwork and curated furniture and objects to craft a space that feels intimate yet luxurious
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Frank Lloyd Wright architecture: from Prairie House to Guggenheim New York
Frank Lloyd Wright, hailed among the 20th century's greatest architects, has left a rich legacy that inspires to this day; here, we invite you to dive into his world
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Skateboarding in swimming pools: the case of Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea
A family of shows at Aalto2 Museum Centre explores skateboarding in swimming pools through the case study of Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea in Finland
By Francesca Perry Published
-
John Lautner’s Sheats-Goldstein Residence shows off its estate’s entertainment wing
The Goldstein Entertainment Complex at the estate of the Sheats-Goldstein Residence reveals its newest additions by the complex’s architects of record Conner + Perry Architects
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
We tour Caracas’ treasure trove of modernist architecture gems
Explore Caracas; the Venezuelan capital is full of midcentury modern and brutalist architecture with a tropical twist
By Adam Štěch Published
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globe
Modernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; here, we explore the genre by continent
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Alvar Aalto's House of Culture in Helsinki is a modernist gem reborn
Modernist icon House of Culture by Alvar Aalto has been restored and brought to the 21st century by Finnish architecture studio JKMM and Design Agency Fyra for ASM Global Finland
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Louis Kahn's modernist mastermind celebrated through new collaborations
The legacy of modernist architect Louis Kahn lives on to inspire a new generation, thanks to collaborations with family and fans
By Marina Cashdan Published