AaltoSiilo – A concrete legacy

Skene Catling de la Peña and Factum Foundation for Digital Technology in Preservation are repurposing Alvar and Aino Aalto’s first modernist industrial building in Oulu, the AaltoSiilo, located in the Meri-Toppila district of Oulu, Finland. The silo reflects Aalto’s architectural philosophy, integrating functionality with a bold aesthetic vision that has influenced generations of architects and urban planners. Since 2020, following the acquisition of the building and the neighbouring plot, the structure has undergone a series of interventions to ensure its preservation, recognising its significance as an emblem of Finland’s - and Europe’s - socio-industrial evolution.

The 258 m² building, standing 28 metres tall, is being transformed into a versatile public space for cultural events, performances, and exhibitions in partnership with key collaborators from Finland and the rest of Europe. The AaltoSiilo team have initiated an essential restoration process for the Silo, preceded by a complete 3D scan of the building to help the team assess the condition of the space and direct interventions, all while respecting its historical integrity and meeting sustainability standards. Learn about the latest developments of the project in the news section

As part of Oulu’s European City of Culture 2026 initiative, AaltoSiilo is not just a restoration project – it is a pioneering effort to safeguard and repurpose an important landmark of post-industrial heritage, transforming it into a repository of knowledge while also serving as a hub for cultural and experimental exchange. Through this project, award-winning architectural practice Skene Catling de la Peña and heritage preservation specialist Factum Foundation aim to emphasise the need to conserve and revitalise concrete heritage, using creative and sustainable preservation approaches.

Following this philosophy, and demonstrating this commitment to effectively conserve concrete heritage, Skene Catling de la Peña and Factum Foundation have conceived "The Oulu Protocol". This new approach towards the reuse of concrete to reduce carbon emissions is a political, economic, and engineering strategy that can be applied globally.

AaltoSiilo will be the central legacy project for Oulu, European City of Culture 2026 and is one of the six Finnish partners of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative launched by the European Commission. In 2024, AaltoSiilo was selected by the European Commission as an example of excellence in architecture as part of the Living Spaces peer-learning programme (read the report).

If the Silo, a building designed for an industrial process and often considered 'unsuitable' for reuse, can be repurposed into a social and cultural hub for the city of Oulu, it will pave the way to save many more industrial heritage buildings in far less extreme conditions.

Read the project outline: AaltoSiilo - Design for Transformation

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