Lauttasaari Manor

The remaining parts of The Lauttasaari Manor form a valuable architectural and historical unit in the heart of Lauttasaari. The main building, Red Villa, and part of the garden were renovated for new office spaces for the Kone Foundation. The Empire style manor was built in 1837 right next to the old farmhouse; the Red Villa was built in the early 1700s. The most cohesive surviving architectural layer of the buildings and the garden dates back to the late 1920s, when the main building was renovated according to alteration plans by architect Jarl Eklund. The garden is designed by garden architect Bengt Schalin. Over the years the manor has functioned as a residential building, a hospital and finally in the 1980s as a nursing home and hospital for the elderly. The Kone Foundation bought the empty main building and the Red Villa, occupied by various Lauttasaari associations, from the city of Helsinki in 2015. Unfortunately, very little remained of the original appearance as a result of the alterations made for hospital and nursing home use.  

The basis for the renovation project was the situation before the renovation of the building for hospital use in 1954. The main goals of the project were preservation of the architectural layers, keeping and restoring what remained of the building components and restoration of the room division, spaces and vistas where possible. The remaining interiors from the 1920s on the first floor, and the colors of the spaces were restored. For other parts of the first floor, themes were sought from the 1920s building phase, which was well documented at the time through photographs. The space structure of the second floor, which can be considered the main floor of the building, was restored in the presumed form of the 1830s. New space solutions and elements such as the elevator, attic stairs, restrooms on the second floor and a coffee station were situated in the space where extensive structural changes had already been made. The space solutions, elements and new attic spaces were executed in a style representative of their time, in keeping with the hand-crafted work methods. The architectural layers of the façades were also restored. Since taking the photos, the sheet metal roof has been painted black.

The natural ventilation system was restored to the first and second floor of the main building and preserved in the Red Villa. The downstairs spaces of the Red Villa were converted to a café; the office space of Lauttasaari Seura Association and Kone Foundation’s residence apartment were situated upstairs. A new modern workshop building was constructed on the site of the two household buildings from the 1950s. The remaining parts of the garden and the manor park were renovated according to plans by Maisema-arkkitehdit Loci Oy (landscape architects). Now, the manor park with its café offers a harmonious place in the heart of Lauttasaari to be enjoyed by all.  

More information:

Arkkitehti – Finnish Architectural Review, 4/2018. Pelastettu! / Saved! Esa Laaksonen.. 

Avotakka. 25.10.2018. Astu sisään Lauttasaaren kartanoon! 10 miljoonalla kunnostettu upea rakennus on sisustettu huikeilla designkalusteilla. Anu Karttunen.