Graniittitalo, Office building in Katajanokka, Helsinki, Finland
Graniittitalo is an office building in the Katajanokka harbor district of Helsinki, clad in granite and marble on its exterior. The building has several floors above ground as well as underground levels, and was designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.
The building was completed in 1962 and originally served as the headquarters of a major forest and paper company. It was one of the last large city-center projects that Alvar Aalto carried out in Helsinki.
Graniittitalo means simply "granite house" in Finnish, a name that points directly to the stone covering its exterior. The building stands in a neighborhood known for Art Nouveau facades, which makes the contrast between the two architectural styles easy to notice as you walk by.
The building sits in Katajanokka, a peninsula neighborhood within walking distance of the central market square. Since it is an active office building, a visit normally means viewing the exterior from the street.
Aalto designed the top floor to step back from the building's edge, creating an open roof terrace facing the harbor. This setback gives the roofline a distinct profile that is most visible when looking at the building from across the water.
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