Defence corps building (1926–29) (Valtiontalo)
Alvar Aalto was awarded the design project for the Jyväskylä Civil Guard House through a competition. The building originally housed a market hall, cinema, large ballroom with a stage, a restaurant, and the offices of the civil guard organisations. The design work for this “transitional period-based multi-purpose building” was completed during the period when Aalto was transitioning from classicism to functionalism. The departure from classicism is reflected in, for example, the functionally structured spaces and the rational, contemporary interior design solutions.
The Jyväskylä Defence Corps Building, today known as Valtiontalo (State Building), has seen constant changes to both its interiors and its exterior over decades. After the completion of a comprehensive renovation in 2020, both the exterior and the so-called assembly floor have been restored to nearly their original appearance.
Opening hours:
The building remains in use by several tenants and as such can only be viewed from the outside.
