THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF PAIMIO SANATORIUM HAS REACHED A DEFINING MILESTONE
Working in close partnership with the internationally celebrated Norwegian architecture practice Snøhetta, the Paimio Sanatorium Foundation today presents the first phase of a masterplan that will shape the next chapter in the life of one of the twentieth century’s most significant buildings.
At its heart, the masterplan returns to the conviction that guided Aino and Alvar Aalto throughout their work: that architecture exists, above all, to serve human wellbeing.
Snøhetta brought to this task a rare and necessary sensitivity. The practice understood from the outset that Paimio Sanatorium cannot be approached as a building alone, but must be seen as a complete work of art — a Gesamtkunstwerk in which architectural beauty, technological ingenuity and the daily life of the building’s occupants form a single, indivisible whole. It is this understanding, rather than any single intervention, that has shaped the plan now taking form.
The masterplan looks beyond the walls of the Sanatorium to the question of what such a place might mean for the world around it.
The ambition is for Paimio Sanatorium to become a destination for reflection and social diplomacy on the European continent — a meeting place where questions of care, design and our shared future can be considered together. At a moment marked by geopolitical uncertainty, a site founded on the principles of healing, openness and humanism offers something both rare and urgently needed.
Snøhetta reimagines the site as a destination combining hospitality, wellness, cultural spaces, and arenas for international dialogue. The former surgery wing will be adapted into a flexible auditorium, with a new entrance for visitors, while the patient wing will become a hospitality section with calm, understated rooms. The reopening of the iconic sun balconies, alongside with the introduction of a lower-level spa with direct access to the outdoors and surrounding forest, extends Aalto’s original vision of light, air, forest, and breathing as integral elements of healing, and secures the longevity of the architecture and its relationship to nature.
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, architect and founding partner at Snøhetta states:
“With profound respect for the legacy of Aino and Alvar Aalto – and particularly the Paimio Sanatorium – we have approached this project with the ambition of opening the site for thoughtful future use. Grounded in research, each intervention is carefully considered, preserving the building’s integrity while allowing it to evolve.”
The first phase of the masterplan has been developed in collaboration with ALA Architects and Mustonen Architects. ALA Architects specialises in demanding public and cultural buildings, while Mustonen Architects is one of Finland’s leading firms specialising in architectural conservation. Evergreen Capital has served as consulting advisor on hospitality development and feasibility studies.
THE NEXT PHASE
Renovation now proceeds in cooperation with the Finnish Heritage Agency and the Alvar Aalto Foundation. The renewal of Paimio Sanatorium will support regional development and is expected to bring significant benefit to Finland, as the continued growth of cultural and wellbeing tourism strengthens the site’s prospects as a destination of the first rank in the Nordic region.
Of particular significance, Paimio Sanatorium holds a central place among the Aalto Works series proposed for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and is widely regarded as one of the most important buildings in the series. A decision on the nomination is anticipated at the end of July 2026. Inscription would situate Paimio Sanatorium among the most treasured cultural sites in the world and affirm its standing as a landmark of universal value.