Matti Suuronen

Matti Suuronen
Born June 14, 1933
Lammi
Died April 16, 2013(2013-04-16) (aged 79)
Espoo, Finland
Nationality Finnish
Alma mater Helsinki University of Technology
Occupation Architect
Design Futuro

Matti Suuronen (June 14, 1933 – April 16, 2013) was a Finnish architect who is best known for making the Futuro[1] and the Venturo[2] houses.

Early life

Matti Suuronen was born in Lammi on June 14, 1933. He graduated from Helsinki University of Technology in 1961.[2]

Futuro house at University of Canberra

Career

Suuronen founded his own firm, Casa Finlandia in Espoo in the West End, with 12 employees at its greatest extent. He designed petrol stations, kiosks, detached and terraced houses as well as public buildings.[2]

Suuronen became internationally known for designing buildings using reinforced plastic, especially Futuro and Venturo houses. Suuronen made novel use of materials such as polyester resin, fiberglass, and acrylic windows for use in civil structures. A key element in his design was creating prefabricated elements that would later be assembled into complete structures.[2]

Engineering critics have noted that some of these early works, such as Suuronen's innovative petrol station design near Lempäälä, suffered longterm performance problems due to the material limitations of early composites.[3]

The iconic flying saucer design of the Futuro was developed in the late 1960s.[2] While the form of the Futuro was linked to the aesthetics of science fiction, it stands as a significant early investigation of the use of plastics in prefabricated housing.[1]

Suuronen also designed grain silos,[1] sheds and town plans.[2]

Venturo house, Kivik Art Centre, Kivik, Sweden

Personal life

Suuronen was married to pianist Sirkku Suuronen and the couple had three children.[4] Suuronen died after a lengthy illness in Espoo, Finland on 16 April 2013. He was 79 years old.[2]

Legacy

Suuronen's designs have been installed around the world, including such locations as the Centraal Museum in Utrecht.[1][5]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Matti Suuronen.
  1. 1 2 3 4 Barry Bergdoll, ed. (2008). Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling, Part 1. The Museum of Modern Art. pp. 140–143. ISBN 9780870707339.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Granqvist, Pekka (May 1, 2013). "Arkkitehti suunnitteli Futuro-talon". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 2014-08-03.
  3. ↑ G Pohl, ed. (2010). Textiles, Polymers and Composites for Buildings. Elsevier. p. 423. ISBN 9781845699994.
  4. ↑ Muistot: Matti Suuronen Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 5 Oktober 2014.
  5. ↑ Staff (July 2004). "Back to the Futuro". Dwell. 4 (7). pp. 90–92. ISSN 1530-5309. Retrieved 2014-08-03.


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