Wood architecture in Kouvola 1890 - 1950

Abstract

This book is intended for everyone who is interested in wood architecture and the built environment and in preserving their dynamic character. In addition to professional knowledge, the publication offers maps and information for people who want to visit the architectural sites. At the same time it provides an opportunity to study the heritage of wooden architecture in the Kymi River Valley where various influences merge in an interesting way in terms of building methods and styles.

The Kymi River Valley, a melting pot of cultures and populations over millennia, has always been a meeting place of the West and the East. The industrial revolution arrived to both banks of the Kymijoki River when a chain of sawmills, groundwood plants and paper industry establishments emerged along the river. The industry had a major role in providing, not only housing for the labourers, but also social services and related architecture. The publication presents wooden houses and detached-house areas built around factories, interesting from the viewpoints of architecture and structural engineering. At the same time it provides a unique peek into living village communities in the presentday Kouvola region. Under discussion are areas designed by famous architects, such as Tehtaanmäki by Alvar Aalto, and spontaneously developed villages such as Mäyrämäki in Kuusankoski, a village built in a rocky landscape.

What also makes the villages unique is that having been built during a relatively short period, each of them is a pure representative of the wooden architecture style and tradition of a certain era. The coherence of the neighbourhoods has been preserved, of which the credit goes partly to town planners. The town-planning policy for repair and complementary construction has been aimed at preserving architecturally valuable buildings and environment. However, the biggest credit for preserving the houses goes to the residents of the areas, who have done a great service to future generations and at the same time created a comfortable and dynamic living environment for themselves.