Villa Solin in Katariinanlaakso, Turku was built for lawyer Matti Solin. Katariinanlaakso is a small oak-tree-lined valley by the sea on the outskirts of the town and one of the most beautiful locations in the area.

The villa consists of the main building and an outbuilding in front of it, through which runs the entrance axis. The main building is two storeys high with a low-pitched roof, whereas the outbuilding is lower. The drafts included classical decorations but they were not implemented. However, motifs in the spirit of Gunnar Asplund’s classicism, such as asymmetries and semi-circular attic windows are still evident. On the side facing the sea there is an open loggia designed in Bauhaus-inspired functionalist style. It’s flat roof serves as a terrace.

The more public spaces may be found on the ground floor: living room, dining room, kitchen and three rooms. The living room opens out to the garden and the sea via an iron and glass door manufactured by the Dutch firm Crittal Braat. A straight flight of stairs in Paloma marble and with a railing in chromed iron and brass leads upstairs. On the first floor there is a vaulted hall with deep inset windows and a fireplace designed by Elsa Arokallio in 1929 as well as three other rooms. The doors are painted black and the skirting boards olive green. Many of the walls are in stucco lustro.

The Norwegian architect Hans Sigvart Fürst acted as Bryggman’s assistant during the design of the villa. The master builder was V. A. Lahti. The villa was renovated in 1990–91 and since then it has been used for receptions by the City of Turku.

Atrium Apartment Building is listed on the DOCOMOMO Finland registered selection of important architectural and environmental modernist sites.

Text: Mikko Laaksonen