Chapter 3 | The Building of Paimio Sanatoriumceiling and the top part of the kitchen staircase had proved more complicated to
execute than anticipated. Casting the roof had been omitted following the instruction
of the supervisors and the water storage tank had not been built owing to its sensitive
nature. Furthermore, the developer had delivered to the site on behalf of the contrac-
tor the special bricks for the horizontal section of the central heating piping. It was
estimated that the cost savings made by omitting certain work and the costs incurred
by additional work could be offset against each other.
The foundation work carried out by the developer had revealed that the bedrock
on the site required drilling which had delayed the beginning of the framework.
Although the completion of the building frame work was postponed for the above
reason until a less opportune season, the contract was completed within the set time.
The contractor emphasised the fact that receiving working drawings and structural
calculations on time had sped up the work. According to the contractor, the super-
visors had also agreed on all actions in a timely manner. The developer signed off the
work, the casting of the roof slab and the water storage tank supported by the central
heating chimney excepted.^721 Ahti built the water storage tank, which was part of
the building frame contract, in summer 1931.^722 The final inspection report does not
mention any test loads as stipulated in the new concrete building standards or that
any test cubes of the reinforced concrete structure were sent for examination at the
material testing laboratory.^723
The contract also included the purchasing of all building materials and tools and
equipment. The structures were cast in situ in timber formworks, except for the col-
umns in the lobby, which were cast in three-millimeter sheet metal formworks.^724 The
contractor purchased timber from the Building Board to build the formworks^725 and
had access to sand and water on the sanatorium plot without charge. The aggregate
for the reinforced concrete was pit-run gravel from the near vicinity of the sanato-
rium. The developer was, however, responsible for purchasing coke cinder and any
other fillers. The lift towers built by the contractor remained in the possession of the
developer after project completion. The Building Board purchased timber form Con-
tractor Arvi Ahti as well as two motors, a hoist and other machinery. He also rented
two stone mills, two hoists, a pump and a steam generator, among other things.^726
At a minimum, the following machinery was in use at the building site: a motorised
concrete mixer; one new and one old electric motor; circular rip saw and its motor;
annular water pump; weighing machine; pushcarts; hand pump, kitchen cooker; two
telephones and various mechanical devices such as iron pushcarts which were used
721 Minutes of the final inspection, December 5, 1930. PSA.
722 Building Committee July 4, 1931, Section 1. PSA.
723 Minutes of the final inspection, December 5, 1930. PSA.
724 Aalto [1930]a, p. 8. AAM.
725 On commencing the frame construction, the Building Committee sold Arvi Ahti timber from forest clearance as con-
crete structure props at a minimum price of FIM 2.75 a piece. Building Committee June 27, 1930, Section 2. PSA.
726 Building Board December 15, 1930, Section 3. PSA; Building Committee August 21, 1931, Section 3. PSA.