Espoonlahti next to the metro station and the shopping center Lippulaiva, in the middle of the settlement on a small nature strip, a rather inconspicuous building that conforms to nature rises. It is the Espoonlahti church.
Inside the church, a low passage leads to the church hall. The floor of the church hall is made of concrete, it is neat and uncluttered. The rows of benches are also reduced. The walls of the church hall, on the other hand, have natural stone in brick-like sections, which continues as concrete towards the ceiling.
You quickly notice that the church in Espoonlahti has a lot of similarities with the church in Temppeliaukio. Temppeliaukio church is a super attraction in Helsinki that has been admired by tourists for a long time.
The similarity is not a coincidence, because both churches were designed by architects Timo (1928–2021) and Tuomo Suomalainen (1931–1988).
The church in Espoonlahti merges inconspicuously with its surroundings.
Art history completed his dissertation on the architecture of the Espoonlahti and Temppeliaukio churches Tiina Vilkki has arrived at the Espoonlahti church and has promised to tell more about the architectural similarities between the churches.
“Temppeliaukio and Espoonlahti churches both have a remarkably low vestibule, which opens into the church hall, emphasizing its spaciousness and the light flooding in from the skylights,” says Vilkki.
“The church hall of both churches also has in common the fact that the altar cross, baptismal font and candlestick of the churches were designed by the same designer, art forge Far away Moisio (1928–2007).”
The same building materials, such as natural stone, concrete and copper, have also been used in the interior and exterior of both churches.
The walls of the Espoonlahti church hall have natural stone in masonry-like sections.
In the picture, the altar cup of Espoonlahti church, designed by Kauko Moisio. He has also designed the altar cup of the church in Temppeliaukio.
Also The organs of Temppeliaukio and Espoonlahti churches have the same designer. They were designed by the organ builder Veikko Virtanen together with architects.
The church halls of both churches are roughly the same size.
“Temppeliaukio church has a loft, which is missing in Espoonlahti,” Vilkki says.
Tiini Vilkki has done her art history dissertation on the architecture of Espoonlahti Church and Temppeliaukio Church.
There are even more similarities between the churches. Let’s give the Architecture Museum’s vs. research and information service manager Petteri Kummalan report their findings.
Kummala considers it noteworthy that the material of both is natural stone.
“Temppeliaukio’s church highlights the fact that the church is dug into the rock. In the church of Espoonlahti, the terrain is not as strong as in the church of Temppeliaukio. The church in Temppeliaukio also won’t stand up like the church in Espoonlahti,” says Kummala by phone.
According to Kummala, in addition to the same materials, similar structural solutions have been used in the churches of Espoonlahti and Temppeliaukio.
“Concrete has been used in the walls and structures of both churches, on the other hand, the use of wood brings warmth. The location of the altar for the circulation of natural light is also taken into account in the churches. Both churches have many shapes, the architecture is not rectangular,” says Kummala.
The Espoonlahti church has a low vestibule, just like the Temppeliaukio church.
The Espoonlahti church rises up from the rock.
Espoonlahti the parish church was inaugurated at the end of 1980.
The history of the Espoonlahti parish began already in 1975. At that time, the Etelä Espoo parish was divided into Kivenlahti and Olari parishes. Then the name of Kivenlahti parish changed to Espoonlahti parish in 1979.
The new congregation lacked its own church. Architects Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen, who were members of the Espoonlahti parish, were invited to design the church in Espoonlahti. They had gained attention at that time as the designers of the church in Temppeliaukio.
Although the church dug into the rock attracted attention, not everyone was enthusiastic about the Temppeliaukio church when it was completed in 1969.
“When the Temppeliaukio church was completed, the church was accused of boasting. The church in Temppeliaukio, like the Helsinki City Theater and Finlandia Hall, which were completed around the same time, were criticized for being objects of elite construction,” says Kummala.
Temppeliaukio church was completed in 1969. Photo from 2005.
11 years later, in 1980, the Espoonlahti church did not face similar criticism.
“When the Espoonlahti church was completed, individuality was already a more accepted value in architecture. At that time, the steep box line had driven itself into a dead end,” says Kummala.
“The church in Espoonlahti is of interest to architecture professionals, as is the church in Temppeliaukio. Those who know about architecture come to see the church.”
An extension was made to the Espoonlahti church in 1997.
There is also another building in Finland that resembles the Temppeliaukio church. Such is the hotel Mesikämmen, designed by Timo and Tuomo in Suomalainen Ähtäri, completed in 1976.
“Temppeliaukio church, Espoonlahti church and hotel Mesikämmenta are united by the fact that the buildings have a strong ethos of being rooted in the place. They communicate with the terrain.”
Read more: In the 1970s, Veikko Virtanen left a half-careless bid for a huge project in the Turku cathedral – Then, to his horror, he won it and the construction site that approached disaster began
Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen have also designed the hotel Mesikämmen in Ähtäri. Photo of the hotel interior from 2016.
Read more: A huge shopping center with 100 Liiketilas will be opened in Espoo – this is Lippulaiva, where special attention has been paid to motorists
Read more: Timo Suomalainen 1928–2021
Read more: These are the places tourism professionals would like to visit in the capital – “Helsinki is not for everyone”
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