THE AHLSTROM EMPIRE
Here you see a photo of some of the buildings we visited today owned by the Ahlstrom family. You may ask who are these people and why post about them? Let me tell you in short, Antti Ahlstrom was a self made country business man, who took great risks in the early 1820's and became very wealthy through shipping and lumber production and later in 1870 bought a millwork. He chose to add the the surrounding area places for workers to live, to have recreation, church and school and other activities. All within walking distance of their workplace. Sound like a familiar business plan to anyone?
Anyhow, the Ahlstrom empire, as I have called it, expanded for several generations and today is still a 70% family owned corporation, which has several companies represented.
ABOUT ONE OF THE COMPANIES....
A. Ahlstrom is the company which keeps the historical museum within the old millworks and also has the museum of Villa Mairea.
The grandaughter of Antti Ahlstrom was Maire Gullichsen and she is noteworthy because she married Harry Gullichsen, studied art in France, brought modern art to Finland, collaborated with her friends Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino to build an amazing modern home in the 1938 which we visited, Villa Mairea. www.villamairea.fi
Anyhow, check out the website and for those who will not, just know that in the home it has "extra Picassos" in storage for when they feel like changing the art work, as well some of the most amazing design I've ever seen. Open floor plans, furniture designed by the Aalto family, and many pieces of art by "personal friends" of the couple, names we only read about.
We all left quite impressed, inspired and pleased to know that the Ahlstrom family of great wealth and success still use the home today to vacation together, all the while still sharing their home as a museum
Here you see a photo of some of the buildings we visited today owned by the Ahlstrom family. You may ask who are these people and why post about them? Let me tell you in short, Antti Ahlstrom was a self made country business man, who took great risks in the early 1820's and became very wealthy through shipping and lumber production and later in 1870 bought a millwork. He chose to add the the surrounding area places for workers to live, to have recreation, church and school and other activities. All within walking distance of their workplace. Sound like a familiar business plan to anyone?
Anyhow, the Ahlstrom empire, as I have called it, expanded for several generations and today is still a 70% family owned corporation, which has several companies represented.
ABOUT ONE OF THE COMPANIES....
A. Ahlstrom is the company which keeps the historical museum within the old millworks and also has the museum of Villa Mairea.
The grandaughter of Antti Ahlstrom was Maire Gullichsen and she is noteworthy because she married Harry Gullichsen, studied art in France, brought modern art to Finland, collaborated with her friends Alvar Aalto and his wife Aino to build an amazing modern home in the 1938 which we visited, Villa Mairea. www.villamairea.fi
Anyhow, check out the website and for those who will not, just know that in the home it has "extra Picassos" in storage for when they feel like changing the art work, as well some of the most amazing design I've ever seen. Open floor plans, furniture designed by the Aalto family, and many pieces of art by "personal friends" of the couple, names we only read about.
We all left quite impressed, inspired and pleased to know that the Ahlstrom family of great wealth and success still use the home today to vacation together, all the while still sharing their home as a museum
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