Chapter 3 | The Building of Paimio Sanatoriumthe time was the City of Helsinki’s Tuberculosis Sanatorium in the district of Laakso,
which could house 390 patients and was municipally funded.^526 The State Medical Board
pointed out in its plan that, at the time of passing the legislation, it had been estimated
that the appropriations allocated to tuberculosis sanatoria would total FIM 20,000,000
annually. Provided the appropriations remained at the same level, the proposed sanato-
rium building projects would be completed by the end of 1936.^527
Building tuberculosis sanatoria was a major investment in public health. Similar
hospitals were built throughout Europe and the United States. In 1931, the Vienna
International Hospital Congress focused on discussing the building costs of hospitals,
which was a concern widely shared by the international community.^528 In 1930, the
Ministry of the Interior wanted to appoint a committee to find ways to reduce the
founding costs of hospital building costs and it urged the State Medical Board to make
a proposal on the matter. The State Medical Board had a special hospital department,
the duties of which included reviewing the planning documents of sanatoria as well as
monitoring the progress of the building projects and overseeing the state aid granting
process. When reviewing the drawings, it targeted the costs specifically by reducing
the cubic volume of the buildings as long as this did not compromise the operations
of the sanatorium.^529 In conjunction with this, the State Medical Board had ensured
that the hospitals would meet the criteria for modern medical establishments and that
they would be able to operate with as few staff as possible. According to the opinion of
the State Medical Board, the rising building costs of hospitals were due to the addition
of radiology, surgical and outpatient departments, and the purchasing of new medical
technology and equipment. In the State Medical Board’s view, it was the duty of the
Building Board appointed to oversee the building of a hospital in order to keep costs
under control, and it was reluctant to propose a new committee specifically to find cost
savings.^530 Such a committee would have removed power from the medical advisers of
the State Medical Board, so it was not in the interest of the executive officials of the
State Medical Board to establish such a body.
The application documentation required for state aid included a founding plan
specifying the purpose of the institution and the number of beds, a description of the
site, the intended buildings and a site plan. Also required were drawings of the actual
hospital buildings, specifying the location and height of rooms, the number of beds to
be placed in each room, the structure of windows, and lighting, heating and ventilation
equipment, as well as cost estimates.^531 The compilation of the documentation was the
first responsibility of the architect.
526 Heiniö 1968, pp. 453–512; Laurila and Tandefelt 1968, pp. 653–661.
527 The State Medical Board’s proposal to the Minister of the Interior on the granting of state aid for tuberculosis
sanatoria, dated 8 January 1930. Record No. 114:30 8/1 200 Y III. State Medical Board 1930 Da:7. NA.
528 Distel 1932.
529 Ibidem.
530 Records No. 58/11:28 K.D and No. 30/10 9777 III. State Medical Board 1930 Da:10. NA.
531 Asetus valtionavusta 270/1929, pykälä 3 (Decree on State Aid 270/1929, Section 3).