[EN] By the River Aura, in the historical centre of Turku, is the old ironworks block. The ironworks was founded in 1856, and it operated there until 1952. The oldest buildings in the block were designed by architect G.T. Chiewitz in 1856–1857, while the newest ones date back to the 1930s.
The iron and steel factory manufactured just about everything from iron and was one of the largest jobs in Turku. In the beginning, blacksmiths did a lot of handicrafts. Only later did industrialization become mechanized. The shipyards in Turku employed the metal industry well and the First World War in particular increased all metal work. Eventually, the factory was squeezed by the enlarged city, and in the late 1990s, the factory buildings were transferred to Åbo Akademi University and the Migration Institute.
Today the block is occupied by the Faculty of Arts of Åbo Akademi University. The design of the faculty building, Arken, is based on my winning entry ”fabrik” of the 1997 invited architecture competition.
The renovation and extension work was carried out as four separate projects. The block comprises 13 separate building of varying styles and building materials, three of which are newbuild. Auxiliary and parking facilities were housed underground.
All central activities were placed as close together as possible. The organising space is the courtyard, at the end of which is the glazed main entrance of the building. A new ”furnace”, housing the main lecture halls and an auditorium, was conceived as the heart of the block. The faculty offices, auditorium, joint lecture rooms and café were arranged about the entrance hall. Glazed corridors and bridges interlink the buildings.
An L-shaped new building replaced the old storage buildings. It delineates the street corner, encloses the courtyard, and continues the architectural tradition of the Piispankatu street milieu by modern means. The joint faculty library was housed in the oldest building along Jokikatu street.
Retaining the original spirit and industrial character of the place have been the guiding principles for the design work. The principal architect of the complex was Pekka Mäki.
Coordinates will take you middle of Arken courtyard. Observe the difference of old and modern buildings. Something similar?
[FIN] Rautamanufaktuuritehdas valmisti aivan kaikkea raudasta ja oli Turun suurimpia työpaikkoja. Alkuun sepät tekivät paljoltikin käsityönä erilaisia tilaustöitä. Vasta myöhemmin teollistuminen muuttui koneelliseksi. Turussa olevat laivatelakat työllistivät hyvin metalliteollisuutta ja etenkin ensimmäinen maailmansota lisäsi kaikkea metallityötä. Lopulta tehdas jäi laajentuneen kaupungin puristuksiin ja 1990-luvun lopussa tehtaan rakennuksia siirtyi Åbo Akademin ja Siirtolaisinstituutin käyttöön.
Nykyään Arken nimellä tunnettu kortteli on arkkitehtuurisesti mielenkiintoinen, koska se on onnistunut säilyttämään hyvinkin paljon vanhan teollisuuskiinteistön yksityiskohtia. Suuri muutostyö valmistui vuonna 2003 ja pääarkkitehtinä oli Pekka Mäki. Tilat ovat Åbo Akademin käytössä.
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