Several weeks ago my wife and I spent a rainy afternoon at the terrific Suomen Rakennustaiteen Museo, the Museum of Finnish Architecture. Finns are renown for a long history of innovation and beautiful architecture and that proud and on-going achievement is captured in the exhibitions and library of the museum. I highly recommend this wonderful museum for everyone who wants to know more about the art of the built environment. (And yes, for those looking for just the right gift, they also have a first rate book and gift shop!)
Historic preservation has been a long time personal passion. And for the last decade both my wife and I have been very active in energy efficient and sustainable building practices. (Although I will leave a detailed discussion for a future journal entry, these principals are fully compatible with beautiful design.) At any rate, we invited the museum director, Severi Blomstedt, and his friend and longtime Helsinki resident, the British born architect and author, Jonathan Moorhouse for lunch at the Embassy. What was scheduled for an hour drifted into over two hours as we discussed a century of Finnish architecture. Wonderful conversation and the start of what will be great friendships!
With Severi Blomstedt and Jonathan Moorhouse
