How national characteristics are embodied through architecture; National Romantic style architecture constructed in Helsinki during Finland’s period of Russification (1899-1917)

Aims:
1. To investigate how Finnish characteristics are embodied through National Romantic style architecture that
was constructed in Helsinki during Finland’s Russification period, 1899-1917.
2. To create the research conditions for sensory immersion, applying Le Corbusier’s architectural promenade
conceptual framework to two civic buildings of National Romantic style and presenting it through original
architectural experiences and interpretations.
The study trip is a vital part of my research dissertation. The research was inspired by a study visit to St.
Petersburg and Budapest in 2016 and motivated by a commitment to experiences of space and function and
concepts of communities and nations.
The research is informed by Le Corbusier’s architectural promenade applied to two buildings embodying
nationalism: the Finnish National Theatre (1902) and The National Museum of Finland (1904), designed by Onni
Tarjanne and Eliel Saarinen respectively. This responds directly to a gap in the literature around Nationalism,
Russification and Finland and the two buildings.