The most internationally famous building in the area is Villa Mairea, completed in the autumn of 1939, shortly before the start of the Winter War. It was designed as the home of Maire and Harry Gullichsen, a progressive and open-minded couple interested in the pure expression of modernism. The architects, Alvar and Aino Aalto, who were friends of the Gullichsens, were given a great deal of freedom to take an experimental approach to Mairea’s design. Thanks to these favourable conditions, they created a unique masterpiece that is now considered one of the world’s leading examples of 20th-century architecture. Aino Aalto was responsible for the house’s timeless interior design.

From the start, Villa Mairea served many purposes: it was a home, a space to display Maire’s art collection, and a place where the Gullichsens could host their friends with great hospitality. Over the years, the house has hosted many celebrations, welcoming top professionals from various fields—musicians, visual artists, and more—from both Finland and abroad.