April 25: Southern Finland tour – Metso, Tampere

Our first destination in the morning was the Tampere City Library, designed by the idiosyncratic architects Reima and Raili Pietilä and completed in 1986. It's known as Metso ("Capercaillie") because in plan it actually bears a resemblance to one.

8807

It's kind of sci-fi.

8809

The entrance, which I think is the tail/butt of the capercaillie, though maybe it's the beak.

8812

An interesting conjunction of metal details.

8816

The central oculus.

8820

The oculus's sunbeam looks... eyelike.

8827

Sci-fi skylight.

8833

Pretty sweet vaults. I think the shape represents the spread-out wing of the bird.

8837

All kinds of intersections.

8842

Totally TNG.

8847

The Moomin Museum is located in the library's lower level, and it was really neat.

8851

Moving on, going by the Finlayson works. That slab serif face is seriously great.

8853

Mill street.

8854

Mill/canal complexes are pretty much the coolest.