Last Thursday (11.04.2019) I visited very interesting building – silo of former Pulp Mill in Toppila in Oulu, Finland. This building is particularly interesting because it was designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. Visit to the silo was possible thanks to help of Culture Power Station (Kulttuurivoimala). Founder and former chairperson of Culture Power Station Kari Lunnas guided me through the interior of the silo and gave insight in the significance of the building. As Kari explained, it is built during transitional period in the art of the famous architect. According to the research of Ph.D student of Oulu School of Architecture, Alvar Aalto was involved into creation of Toppila Pulp Mill in 1930s when he was changing his style and principles to modernism. Therefore, the building and its history looks very interesting.
Culture Power Station team is enthusiastically working on revitalization of the building. They are organising different events in the building and look for financial support, which could help to save it and develop into a culture centre. Considering my experience in working in the Culture and Information Centre of Daugavpils Fortress (Latvia), I think I understand those people pretty well. I wish them good luck, many ideas and support from the city!
Here are few pictures from outside (which I took earlier) as well as interiors of the silo. A lot of original equipment is still there! Silos job was to collect chipped wood and later deliver it to another building for extracting cellulose. Silo consists of three huge concrete storages.
