Invitation to the press

Book publishing event at Helsinki City Hall, Virka Gallery:

German architect Ulf Meyer summed up Helsinki’s contemporary architecture

The visitor who arrives in Helsinki is likely to know how to find the works of Alvar Aalto and Eliel Saarinen. But for anyone with a deeper interest in Helsinki’s rich heritage of contemporary architecture some help may be needed. It is for the architecturally oriented visitor that German architect Ulf Meyer wrote Architectural Guide Helsinki. The book comes handy with articles about more than 120 buildings and projects, complete with maps and QR codes for easy orientation and access.

Meet Ulf Meyer at City Hall in Helsinki on Wednesday 12th September at 4 p.m., address: Helsinki City Hall, Virka Gallery, Sofiankatu 1 or Pohjoisesplanadi 11–13.

Ulf Meyer will present his book and discuss architecture in Helsinki with architect Gordon Douglas of the City Planning Department at the City of Helsinki.

Ulf Meyer has a passion for contemporary architecture. First time he visited Helsinki was twelve years ago and he immediately fell in love with the architecture.

Over the years Ulf Meyer has taught architecture and written about it. He has travelled extensively in the United States and Asia. He has published architectural guides to Tokyo and to Taiwan.

A year ago Ulf Meyer returned to Helsinki, this time to write about the new Music Centre designed by LPR Architects. He realized that while Finnish architects are internationally acclaimed the architecture in Helsinki is in fact a hidden gem to the international public. According to Ulf Meyer there was no comprehensive book that would summarize and guide the visitor to all the masterpieces in Helsinki and the surrounding region.

-                     There is far more to Finnish architecture than Alvar Aalto, Heikki Sirén or Viljo Revell. Just go to the amazing wooden church in Viikki by JKMM Architects. But of course, you need to know this and how to get there! says Ulf Meyer.

Ulf Meyer

Architect Ulf Meyer has studied architecture in Berlin and Chicago. He is author and editor of several publications on contemporary architecture. He has worked in Tokyo and has held the Hyde Chair of Excellence at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Currently he lives and works in Berlin.

Architectural Guide Helsinki

The Architectual Guide Helsinki is published by DOM publishers is published in English and German. The Architectural Guides by DOM publishers are written and designed for travelers interested in architectural history and design. Projects are carefully selected and researched to make each individual book a ready work of reference. A recent innovation in the Architectural Guide series are QR codes that guide travellers to the buildings presented. The series so far covers Tokyo, Uzbekistan, Moscow, Taiwan, Helsinki, Budapest. For further information please go to: www.dom-publishers.com

Douglas Gordon

Architect Douglas Gordon works for the City of Helsinki City Planning Department as 'international coordinator' overseeing EU projects and working on the City's new City Plan. Educated at the Bartlett, UCL (University College London). Written extensively with books and articles on such issues as 'Gulf of Finland Development Triangle (Helsinki-Tallinn-St.Petersburg)', Helsinki Urban Guide, Housing and Planning in China, City Structure, Cities in Comparison, and the European Spatial Planning Process. The latest report was 2012 on International Plans.

Further information:

 Ulf Meyer

Architect

Tel  +49-1632555510

ulfmeyerb@aol.com

DOM publishers

Caroline-von-Humboldt-Weg 20

10117 Berlin | Germany

Tel +49.30.20 69 69 30

info@dom-publishers.com

http://www.dom-publishers.com

Press contact for review copies:

Gisela Graf Communications

Schillerstrasse 20

79102 Freiburg | Germany

Tel +49.761.791 99 09

contact@gisela-graf.com

http://www. gisela-graf.com

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Casper Almqvist

Communications officer, City of Helsinki

+358 40 187 9829

casper.almqvist@hel.fi