My World Tuesday - Seaside architecture

I seem to be totally stuck on architecture for this meme but then there are so many others where nature photography is more appropriate.

I'm not saying these modern buildings have much of interest value in themselves but they are part of my world as much as quaint old buildings. Those of you with a good sense of imagination can just imagine a small sandy beach behind the rock formation there. That of course is rather handy for the people living in that tower block. They can just drape themselves in a dressing gown, take the lift downstairs, go for a swim and return to sit on their balcony in private to enjoy a cold drink whilst looking out on the bay.


Melting sea but not really icefree yet


On the opposite side are some lower white terraced houses and slightly higher four story buildings behind them. That's where the seaside promenade goes towards the marina. Before the marina is another little beach with a cafe and changing rooms.


Here is still a corner of that area, which was actually a watery area but was filled up and built on. Another day and the wheather not so nice. The melt water has been drawn into the ice, as you can see, and further melting process put on hold as the temperature got chillier with the clouds. Behind the houses is a bridge going over a narrow part of the bay which only spans for about another kilometre up land from that point turning eventually into a narrow river.


Here is a house that is built on a hill so I see it most evenings when walking my dogs around the riding stable valley and it catches the evening sun quite nicely.



At the same time I'd like to take this opportunity to whish everyone a happy Easter.

I'll still be in town for a couple of days but then we'll head to the cottage for a few days. I can hardly wait, especially as I'm in charge of my neighbour's two dogs as well and four dogs on a leash in town is rather tricky at times.

The neighbour went to Rome just as that horrible earth quake happened a hundred kilometres from Rome. Luckily they are not in danger.

I just feel very sad for all the families of the people who died and also those who lost their homes.

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Thankyou to the My World team once again for this popular Tuesday meme

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My World Tuesday - Back to base

Previously I have taken you east and I have taken you west from where I live. I have now returned back to base and here are a few of those buildings that are situated very nearby indeed. Some old others new. Different styles.


This old millhouse is situated by the rapids close to the Espoo manor, which was featured a few weeks back. I beleive it served as a way of getting electricity but is now empty inside. The water still runs through it.


Here is an old school building close by. It still functions as a school for first graders.


This is a modern detached house close to one of my favourite walks on some granite hills dropping down to the sea on one side. The style is rather a combination between modern and traditional. The roof design is a very traditional type of roof. Not only does it allow for more ceiling space on the second floor but the snow falls of the roof a lot easier than if it was plain V-shaped.


Here is a cluster of detached modern houses along the seaside walk. Detached, as I said, they are but the gardens aren't huge, as you can gather. I call them the mushroom houses, because to me they resemble mushrooms growing in the woods.


This old building I like very much. Unfortunately the family owning it probably had a shortage of money at one stage and so they sold a big chunk of land around the property, which was quickly built up with new modern and very expensive houses. That spoilt the overall view of this beautiful old house by the sea quite significantly. I left the new houses out of the picture on purpose.


Finally here is a row of newish terraced houses along a narrow street passing the Laurinlahti bay on the other side of the mushroom houses above.

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My World Tuesday - West side story

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My world today is about buildings west side of Helsinki where small rivers flow, lakes spot the terrain and rolling hills break up farmers fields and forests and people live a less hectic life.


Here is Sjundby mansion situated by a river just were the rapids fall into a small lake. Still today owned by the private family Adlercreutz, who has been in possession of this mansion for over three hundred years but it was under russian seige during the second world war. In one of the buildings there are still russian texts on the outside wall giving instructions to the soldiers.


The river provides some of their electricity via this building housing an electric turbain.


Here is that same building viewed from the lake side


Moving onto the Svidja manor, which no longer functions as a private home but is the headquarters of Scandinavia's largest agricultural institute


Here is a closer view of it. It is built like many churches in a cross formation.


Close to Svidja is this old grey stone church with its yellow bell tower. This is the church of Siuntio.


Alongside another road near the village Lapinkyla I found this little wooden church with the typical cross form shape.


This large birch tree stands guard to an allotment garden village with rows and rows of pretty little cottages and their just as pretty little gardens and as you can see my world is still a wintery one.

My World Tuesday - Helsinki in a blizzard

Winter has returned with a vengance. We haven't had this much snow in one go even once before these last two days all winter long. Makes one wonder ... will there ever be a spring for us?

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Here are pictures from a street in Helsinki (the capital of Finland) under a snow storm. I know I said we would be moving further west from my town Espoo in my last post, as I do prefer the older kind of architecture but in all fairness I should perhaps not give a false impression that around were I live all is old and quaint as that is not the truth of the matter. Most is modern but that is not always completely boring either.






Trams are still part of the public transport system in Helsinki. Here are two of them passing eachother. (My car is the red Toyota parked on the left)


The house at the end I do find quite interesting. The electical wires above are for the trams. Snow plows, as the one on the right, are having a busy time.


On closer inspection it is a house of apartments allthough one could imagine that it would be some public building.

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My World Tuesday - Along the river Mankki

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The Espoo manor house (a nice house but not very grand as manors go)


The old stables of the manor. No horses there today.


This too is among the buildings belonging to the manor. Not sure what it has been used for.


A very narrow bit under one of the bridges


Further up stream the frozen river passes the old stone church of Espoo


On the other side there is an area of modern red brick buildings (a school)


Another view of the stone church


Separate bell towers is a common feature with these kind of traditional churches


Traditional style red house with white corners near the bank of the river


Here we have that tiny cottage in front from another side

For the last two posts I have remained fairly close to home within the boundries of my home town Espoo (just west of the capital Helsinki). Next time I will move on a bit further to the west and the surroundings of another river there.

Mellow Yellow Monday N:o 8

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Missed last week unfortunately but that doesn't meen I've become a deserter :) So here is my entry of a sign, a car, something indoors and a house for this week.


An old sign to a favourite park of mine - a little worse for wear but still pretty I thought


A little sportier looking car this Ford Escort than the last two yellow cars I have posted - allthough quite dirty. A bit cold too I should imagine in the winter time.


Vitamins and sweetness - newly washed


An old quaint cottage by a river I came across nearby the above signposted park

Esittelyssä Hvitträsk ... Presenting Hvitträsk

suomeksi:
Hvitträskin rakennuttivat vuosina 1901-1903 arkkitehdit Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren ja Eliel Saarinen. Hirsistä ja luonnonkivistä kansallisromanttiseen tyyliin rakennetussa päärakennuksessa oli sekä yhteinen arkkitehtitoimisto että Saarisen ja Lindgrenin perheiden kodit. Hvitträskissä Geselliuksen alkuperäinen asunto oli 'Lilla Villan' eli erillinen piharakennus, josta hän muutti myöhemmin päärakennuksen pohjoispäätyyn.
Saarisen koti on nykyisin museona ja pienessä huvilassa toimii ravintola. Museossa on tehty kolmivaiheinen peruskorjaus vuosina 1992-2000. Korjauksessa kunnostettiin rakennukset, piha ja puutarha sekä saatettiin sisätilat vastaamaan aikaisempaa paremmin alkuperäistä interiööriä.

Hvitträskiä ja sen englantilaistyylistä puistopihaa ympäröivät kalliot, metsä ja Vitträsk-järvi.

Kuvatessani myös ympäröivää luontoa tuli mieleeni kuinka paljon se on mahtanut antaa inspiraatiota Hvitträskin eri rakennusten suunnitteluun.



in english:
Hvitträsk was built between 1901–1903 by architects Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren and Eliel Saarinen. The main building, designed in National Romantic style, built of logs and natural stone, was both a common studio and a home for Eliel Saarinen and Armas Lindgren for some years after it was completed. During that time, Gesellius lived in the courtyard building and later moved into the north-wing of the main building after Lindgren relocated in Helsinki.

During the early decades, the main building served as both an architectural office and as a cultural home. It was visited by such esteemed figures as Jean Sibelius, Axeli Gallen-Kallela and Maksim Gorki. The office's staff also lived at Hvitträsk, and this is where the plans were drawn up for the Helsinki Railway Station, the National Museum of Finland and the monumental Munkkiniemi-Haaga project, among other grand works. Hvitträsk is also the boyhood home for world famous architect Eero Saarinen, who made his reputation primarily in the United States designing buildings and monuments such as the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Saarinen home is a museum today, and within the courtyard building are a restaurant and a café. Hvitträsk and its lovely English style garden are surrounded by beautiful nature near the shore of Lake Vitträsk.

While I was also taking pictures of the surrounding nature I was wondering how much inspiration for the plans of the different buildings it had provided.

As a curiosity can be mentioned, that Michael Palin, that wonderful actor and active globe trotter, stayd in Hvitträsk during his travels for the series 'Pole to Pole'. That episode was filmed in the logcabin down by the lake, which is the sauna of Hvitträsk. You'll se a picture of it too further down.






























































TV:stä tuttu ... Seen on TV

suomeksi:
Sitten ympäröivään luontoon

in english:
Then to the surrounding nature























suomeksi:
Alla kuvattu näyttely siellä on meneillään mutta valitettavasti museo on kiinni maanantaisin ja tiistaisin.

in english:
There is an exhibition like the one pictured below going on but unfortunately the museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.



suomeksi:
Toivottavasti kiertokävely Hvitträskissä oli mielenkiintoinen.

in english:
I hope you enjoyed the sightseeing tour around Hvitträsk.

I enter this post for the meme My World Tuesday