Lauttasaari Church refurbishment

Designed by Keijo and Marja Petäjä in the 1950s Rationalist style, Lauttasaari Church is an excellent example of an architectural tradition where the most imposing building in a village or city is located on a central and elevated site to maximise its visual impact. This project is characterised by the scale and challenge of the work involved as well as the commitment it represents to considering the needs of the building’s users and delivering a space that truly serves its intended purpose. The building has been refurbished with subtlety, meticulousness and consummate professional skill. Lauttasaari Church, which enjoys protected status under Finnish heritage law, is now even better placed to serve its local community.

An architectural design competition was run in 1953 with view to identifying a design for a church in the Helsinki island neighbourhood of Lauttasaari. Though Keijo Petäjä’s entry failed to meet the competition brief, it was nevertheless deemed by the jury to show “the greatest potential” and considered most likely to “yield the best outcome upon implementation”. His entry was subsequently acquired and used as the basis for the eventual design. 

On its completion in 1958, Lauttasaari Church became the largest ecclesiastical building in Finland. It also remained one of Helsinki’s premier visitor attractions for a number of decades until it was overtaken in popularity by Temppeliaukio Church. 

Designed in the 1950s Rationalist style, Lauttasaari Church is an excellent example of an architectural tradition where the most imposing building in any village, town or city is located on a central, elevated site to maximise its visual impact. Standing atop Myllykallio Hill in the centre of Lauttasaari, the church has served as a landmark for the island whilst actively serving the local community. In fact, the original design brief invited proposals for what was broadly termed a “Lutheran working centre”. From the beginning, the church has played an important role in local community life. 

The present-day refurbishment project is characterised by the scale and the challenge of the work involved as well as the commitment on part of the parties involved to considering the needs of the building’s users and to delivering a space that truly serves its intended, present-day purpose. Particular care was taken with the particular spatial requirements of the local day-care centre, after school club and Scout troop. A brand-new digital booking system was created for the club rooms, gym, workshop, sauna and coworking and meeting spaces. For a nominal fee, these facilities can be booked by any resident on the island. The ground floor extension was complemented with a cafe and restaurant, while the former vicar’s office was converted into a new venue for the local conservatoire with view to ensuring that the available space here is well used.

The building has been refurbished with consummate professional skill and great attention to detail and every effort has been made to respect the building’s thoughtfully conceived, highly accomplished and intricately detailed original architecture that is defined by its human scale. The original furniture, along with the fixtures, religious items and lighting designed by Ilmari and Annikki Tapiovaara, have been restored. The new design solutions and details introduced as part of the refurbishment project are so insightfully aligned with the original architecture and spirit as to lend them almost imperceptible to a visitor’s eye. 

The significant financial investment this refurbishment represents makes for a refreshing change at a time when many parish organisations, far from being in a position to contemplate the commissioning of extensive building works, are busy considering whether they can afford to keep their churches heated or even wondering whether they might be forced to sell off property as dwindling congregation numbers put a permanent squeeze on cashflow. It is therefore particularly pleasing to see this project succeed, not just in architectural terms but also in how it will allow the church to meet its original purpose, namely that of serving its community. The refurbishment means that Lauttasaari Church is now in a better position than before to be a meaningful presence in the lives of its parishioners and, in its role as a genuinely local and approachable hub of activity, to seek to foster a greater sense of community on the island.