Rovaniemi Main Library

Rovaniemi 2025 City of Rovaniemi Repair construction

 

The Main Library in Rovaniemi was designed by architect Alvar Aalto. It is the oldest part of the Aalto Center in Rovaniemi, completed in 1965. UKI Architects designed the renovation of the library building, which was carried out in three phases.

Rovaniemi Main Library, designed by Alvar Aalto and completed in 1965 as part of the so-called Aalto Administrative and Cultural Center, represents masterful modernism, where architecture serves both the urban space as a whole and the user experience. Alongside the white, soft-lined facades and low, terrain-hugging massing, the interior opens up into spacious reading rooms that emphasize natural light, with lighting provided by Aalto’s signature skylights and light wells. The building is significant not only as part of Aalto’s late work, but also as an example of a functional and humane library space, where the clarity of the spaces, the warmth of the materials, and the holistic design language create an architecturally timeless and pedagogically enriching environment.

The first phase of the renovation in 2019–2020 focused on the music library. The surface materials in the hall were renewed, taking into account the good acoustics of the space. Two of the original music listening chairs remained. They were designed by Elissa Aalto and reupholstered. The chairs are now on display in the hall for sitting and exploring, but the furniture no longer has the capability for listening to music. The next phase of the renovation was completed in 2022. During this phase, the surface materials in the office area were renewed. The surface materials were kept in accordance with Aalto’s design. The group listening room in the basement was converted into a multi-purpose room where various meetings and presentations can be held.

The third phase of construction began in the summer of 2024, and the renovation project was completed in May 2025. The final phase involved renovation work resulting from changes to the ventilation systems in the library and reading rooms and the Lapponica Hall. The floor in the main library rooms had to be demolished and replaced due to the renewal of the underfloor heating pipes, which had reached the end of their service life. The suspended ceilings above the library rooms were completely renovated in accordance with Aalto’s original plans, with the visible parts looking as they did originally. Other surfaces were restored in collaboration with the Alvar Aalto Foundation to be as close to the original as possible.