The Department of Architecture at the Aalto University, is the oldest and largest of the three schools of architecture in Finland. Its age marks an exceptionally long tradition even internationally. Since 1872, the architectural education in Finland has followed the European tradition of architectural education as part of the technical sciences.
The Department of Architecture has an excellent international reputation. For us, architecture is an art, requiring learning of professional practice, personal artistic development and technical knowledge of building. Our teaching staff consists of leading practitioners who have an active career in design projects, competitions and exhibitions. The pragmatic tradition of the school has maintained an esteemed line and guaranteed a high professional skill of the graduates.
The Department of Architecture has degree programmes in architecture and landscape architecture. The school is organised in main theme subjects in architecture, consisting of History and Theory of Architecture, Building Design and Urban Planning and Design. Landscape Architecture consists of Landscape Planning and Management and Landscape Design and Construction.
About 550 degree students in architecture, 120 degree students in landscape architecture and about 70 postgraduate research students study at the Department each year. The annual amount of international exchange or guest students is over 70 students.
The Department is situated in Otaniemi, Espoo, on the campus designed by Alvar Aalto. The well equipped woodwork and metalwork workshops are located in the vicinity of the department.
The Department is since 1 January 2010, part of the new Aalto University , created through a merger between the Helsinki School of Economics, the University of Art and Design Helsinki and the Helsinki University of Technology.
Aalto University School of Engineering was formed on 1st of January 2011 when the Aalto University School of Science and Technology was divided into four new schools of technology. The new schools were formed of the previous university faculties.
Starting 1 January 2012 the current Aalto University School of Art and Design and the Department of Architecture will combine forces. The new school is named Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture
Department Facilities
The Department of Architecture is part of the main building. Alvar Aalto designed this complex and he designed the Department of Architecture especially to give students of architecture an inspiring environment. The Aalto atmosphere can be sensed in the lecture and drawing halls, visual arts classroom and in the studio spaces. The Department has its own library and an up to date photographic laboratory as well as computer rooms. The metal and wood workshops are located on the other side of the main university lawn.
