Feb 23, 2012
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The Norrmén house was a red brick residential house representing the neo-renaissance architecture, situated for 63 years in Katajanokka, Helsinki, opposite the Uspenski Cathedral. It was designed by architect Theodor Höijer in 1896. The four-floor building was constructed at a fast pace, and the building was already completed in 1897. The top floor of the building contained high-class large apartments, while the much smaller apartments on the bottom floor were mainly reserved for servants. The Norrmén house was dismantled in 1960. The Enso-Gutzeit (currently Stora Enso) main office, built from white marble and designed by Alvar Aalto, was built in its place. It was completed in 1962. The dismantling of the house has been criticised ever since the year of its dismantling, and many view Aalto’s new building in its place as completely unfit for the façade of Katajanokka, and the dismantling of the Norrmén house as one of the greatest wrongdoings in the history of Helsinki. Some have even proposed that Aalto’s building should be dismantled and a replica of the Norrmén house should be built in its place. However, the city of Helsinki, along with the National Board of Antiquities is strongly in favour of preserving the main office building.  (wiki)

The Norrmén house was a red brick residential house representing the neo-renaissance architecture, situated for 63 years in Katajanokka, Helsinki, opposite the Uspenski Cathedral. It was designed by architect Theodor Höijer in 1896.

The four-floor building was constructed at a fast pace, and the building was already completed in 1897. The top floor of the building contained high-class large apartments, while the much smaller apartments on the bottom floor were mainly reserved for servants.

The Norrmén house was dismantled in 1960. The Enso-Gutzeit (currently Stora Enso) main office, built from white marble and designed by Alvar Aalto, was built in its place. It was completed in 1962.

The dismantling of the house has been criticised ever since the year of its dismantling, and many view Aalto’s new building in its place as completely unfit for the façade of Katajanokka, and the dismantling of the Norrmén house as one of the greatest wrongdoings in the history of Helsinki. Some have even proposed that Aalto’s building should be dismantled and a replica of the Norrmén house should be built in its place. However, the city of Helsinki, along with the National Board of Antiquities is strongly in favour of preserving the main office building.  (wiki)

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