Chapter 3 | The Building of Paimio Sanatoriumcorner of the building wing. In A wing, the primary beams transversed the wing while
the secondary beams were longitudinal.^733
Reinforced concrete has good load-bearing but poor heat insulation qualities. The
use of concrete as the load-bearing structure in Paimio Sanatorium required the use
of composite structures on the building envelope. In composite structures, each layer
has a different function; brick was used in the external walls of Paimio Sanatorium not
as a load-bearing structure but as heat insulation. As a load-bearing material, brick
was used only in isolated structures, such as the chimney, which supported the water
storage tank. Also, the columns of the outer wall in A wing were thermally isolated with
bricks.^734 Aalto’s building report and, for example, plumbing specifications revealed
that he approached sound and heat insulation as an entire system.
The D series drawings by the architectural office are working drawings of various
building elements. The input of “H.H.” was significant, and he created some 20 drawings
in the period between 1930 and 1931. In 1930, “H.H.” created drawings particularly
for building parts relating to reinforced concrete structures, such as balconies, ramps,
sundeck sections and the canopy of the main entrance. They were drawn with great
consideration and their creator has clearly understood the qualities of reinforced con-
crete structures, perhaps to the extent of being able to design them. The person using
the initials “H.H.” may have been Hugo Harmia (1907–1952)^735 , who at this time
was still a student. Harmia, born Hackstedt, was Alvar Aalto’s maternal first cousin.^736
Harald Wildhagen, for whom this role would fit perfectly, only used the initial “W”
or no initials in his drawings. Schildt has referred to the collaboration between Aalto,
Henriksson and Wildhagen. The Norwegian was professionally more experienced than
Aalto, in conjunction with the concrete columns for the Turun Sanomat Newspaper
Building; it would be plausible to assume that the collaboration continued with Paimio
Sanatorium. Or perhaps “H.H.” was Emil Herman Henriksson, using the initial of
his middle name rather than the first? This is an unlikely explanation, as Henriksson
is known to have marked his structural drawings with “E.H.” in his recognisable and
completely different, round handwriting.
The Turku-based businessman Juho Tapani did not place an offer for a contract
on the Paimio Sanatorium concrete frame. Tapani and Aalto had had disagree-
ments during the execution stage of the Southwest Finland Agricultural Cooper-
ative Building, as witnessed by meeting minutes in which mutual accusations for
delays in the delivery of designs and the construction work were recorded.^737 Juho
733 The beam system was different at the eastern end of the A wing, at least on the ground floor. Emil Henriksson’s
drawing No. 5. PSA.
734 Photograph No. 50-003-079. AAM.
735 Hugo Edward Harmia (Hackstedt) was born in 1907 and finished his studies of architecture in 1933. He made study
trips to Sweden, Germany, France and Italy. Between 1933 and 1934 he worked as assistant at the architectural
practices of P. E. Blomstedt and of K. Borg. He started working for the Public Worls Department of the City of
Helsinki in 1934. Anon 1948, pp. 121–122.
736 Emails from curator Arne Hästesko on January 14 and 31, 2013, from chief curator Katariina Pakoma on January
22, 2013 and two emails from archivist Marja-Liisa Hänninen on January 28, 2013 to author.
737 Pakoma 2003, p. 24.