Koskikatu 20

Aho's commercial and residential buildings: Koskikatu 20

Alvar Aalto designed three four-story commercial and residential buildings in a prominent location in the center of Rovaniemi for local businessman Aarne Aho. Later, Aalto also designed the private house Maison Aho for the same family.

The Aho commercial and residential buildings are all located in the same block, forming a cohesive ensemble. The ground floors of the buildings house commercial spaces, while the upper floors originally contained apartments that have since been converted into office spaces.

Observant passersby may notice interesting details in the buildings that Aalto considered important. In addition to brick, the facades incorporate granite and, in some areas, copper. Over the years, the buildings have undergone renovations, and many of the fine details have been lost during these alterations.

On the facade of Koskikatu 20, Aalto designed a large bronze sculpture called "Aurora Borealis." The artwork depicts the Northern Lights, with a leaping fish at the bottom. The sculpture was executed by sculptor Heikki Häiväoja. For safety reasons, the artwork has been removed from the wall.