Kotka Sunila is now UNESCO World Heritage Site

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has inscribed the Sunila Residential Area in Kotka, one of the most extensive realized design projects of Alvar Aalto’s career, on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with twelve other Aalto sites included in the Aalto Works nomination.

The decision was announced on 26 July in Busan, South Korea.

Sunila: The World’s Most Beautiful Industrial Area

The Sunila area includes the Sunila pulp mill, once described as the most beautiful industrial site in the world, as well as the striking Sunila residential area, where functionalist architecture and a pine forest landscape blend harmoniously together.

Aino and Alvar Aalto designed the Sunila residential area for the mill’s employees between 1936 and 1954. The first sections of this forest suburb were completed in 1939 on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, in the delta of the Kymi River.

Stay in Beautifully Restored Aalto Apartments

The Sunila residential area consists of 12 apartment and row houses, the mill manager’s residence Kantola and its seaside sauna, as well as several architecturally distinctive service buildings.

Visitors can explore the area more deeply by staying in apartments furnished in the style of Aino and Alvar Aalto or by visiting the impressive Kantola villa. Kantola is also available to rent for private events, meetings, training sessions, and other occasions. See more here.

Sunila Aalto Homes Open Their Doors on 29-30 August

Those interested in architecture and the work of Alvar Aalto will have an excellent opportunity to discover this newly designated UNESCO World Heritage Site during the Sunila Aalto Homes event on 29-30 August. During the event, residents open the doors of these unique and stylish homes, inviting visitors to experience the architecture and atmosphere of Sunila firsthand. Tickets for the event are available online.