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Commercial and Residential Buildings
Koskikatu 18, Rovaniemi
1958 - 1963
During the years 1958 to 1962 Alvar Aalto drew up plans for three buildings in a central city block of Rovaniemi. Client for the buildings was Aarne Aho, member of the City Counil and owner of a car dealership named Ahon Autoyhtiö. The first of the three red-brick buildings was designed in 1958-59 and is located at the coner site of the Koskikatu and Jaakonkatur roads. This building contains shops at street level and apartments on the upper three floors. The façade facing the Koskikatu road is adorned by a bronze sculpter made by Alvar Aalto in 1962 and entitled 'Aurora Borealis'. The second building, located at another corner site of the Koskikatu and Rovakatu roads was designed in 1960-1962. This apartment building was realized as a pendant to the first one. Earlier plans of this buiilding show the intention to realize a business complex with a central light court and a superimposed six-storey shopping centre. However, these ideas didn't materialize, and the building was eventually constructed to a similar plan as the older one. In 1962 - 1963 Alvar Aalto designed the last of the three buildings, located on Jaakonkatu 3. This four-storey building is closely related to the previous designs and contains apartments and business spaces.