Pallasmaa Reference Library open to the public
The Juhani Pallasmaa Reference Library, located at the Eteläranta 6 event space, will be open on Mondays* from 1 pm to 5 pm starting 16 November. Free entry!
Visitors are welcome to read and browse the books on site, but items from the reference library cannot be borrowed. A visit to the library also provides an opportunity to explore the versatile spaces of Eteläranta 6.
*The Library will be closed on Mondays 7, 14 and 28 December and 4 January due to private events.
Please note! The historic Art Nouveau space is not barrier free. There are stairs leading to the venue as well as within the venue itself. The multi-level space does not have a lift.
Internationally renowned architect and professor Juhani Pallasmaa donated his personal library of approximately 12,000 volumes to the collections of the Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki in 2013. The reference library at Eteläranta 6 features around one tenth of Pallasmaa’s book collection. For the first time, visitors now have the opportunity to explore this extensive collection amassed by the architect.
The selection of books offers insights into Pallasmaa’s thinking, work and interests. The library includes works that inspired him and influenced his work, reflecting Pallasmaa’s wide-ranging interest in world cultures, the arts, imagination, thought and learning. The selection also reflects the architect’s travels, exhibition projects and design work.
The selection has been curated by Suvi Juvonen, Senior Information Specialist at the Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki. Eteläranta 6 and its surroundings have also been taken into consideration: the selection includes literature that allows visitors to delve deeper into the architecture and history of the building, the surrounding area and Helsinki.
Pallasmaa’s personal library has grown over the decades through books acquired from around the world as well as those received from friends and colleagues. For his extensive collection, Pallasmaa developed his own classification system, reflecting his interests and work. The same system is also used in the reference library at Eteläranta 6.
The library space also features works from the collections of the Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki.
Photos: Studio Mikko Ryhänen
