EMMA is Finland’s largest art museum, with gallery space covering a total area of over 5500 m2. The museum is located in the Espoo district of Tapiola in the former Weilin & Göös printing house designed by Professor Aarno Ruusuvuori (1925–1992). The building is a classic sample of 1960s concrete brutalism and an iconic local landmark. Famous for its sweeping lawns and pine woods, Tapiola is the quintessential Finnish Garden City of the 1960s.
The panoramic, north-facing windows connect the interiors with the woodlands of Tapiola. There are no obstructing walls in EMMA’s expansive exhibition space, as the ceiling is suspended from eight massive columns. This unusual architectural solution creates an expansive open area that was originally designed to accommodate massive printing presses. Today the vast interior forms a core part of the museum’s identity and is an enduring source of inspiration for both our artists and visitors.
