SAVON-RADAN ryhmä





  • Savon Radan ryhmä organizes activities along the historical Savo line







SAVON-RADAN Hiirola railway station

open 1.10.1889
closed 29.5.1983

architect Knut Nylander

until the 90ties in use as post office

overview around 1965 of the area of the railway station in Hiirola, image Jukka Hotokka

A nice view of the railway area of Hiirola around 1965, image Jukka Hotokka.

Hiirola railway station

From left to right: North and west, east, and south and west orientation.

Knut Nylander Oulu line railway station

National Archive of Finland - Helsinki

The Hiirola station is built after the design of the railway architect Knut Nylander. This characteristic design is used for over 40 railway stations in Finland. Most can be found along the Savo line and Oulu line.

changes in the groundfloor of the Hiirola station during the time

map ground floor Hiirola station 1889, 1934, 1952, 1970, 1987

As the railway developed during the decades the building was changed several times.

After the final closing in the nineties the building and its environment fell into decay.
In 2011 a new owner started with building a new future for this remarkable building. After one year it was possible to start living in it and the ongoing renovation will be done while living in it.

Since autumn 2012 the Dutch artist Marja de Jong is living and working in the building.  She takes care of the maintenance and renovation of the building and yard. She has an own atelier in one of the rooms.

The railway station is housing the Finnish art and culture association AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry and the child art and art education archives and the art collection of the Dutch Foundation AllaprimA.

The railway station in Hiirola is the base for various art activities on local level as well as international.

hiirola station in 1987 image jukka martio

image © 1987 Jukka Martio

The railway station in 1987, the maintenance of the building and the gardens makes it representative for a rural Finnish railway station.
The use as post office ended in the 90ties. After that the decay of the environment and the building started.

In 2011 a new owner has taken care of the building and started carefully a renovation of the building as well as the 'garden'. It will take many years to bring back the old status of the station, but by a new content it got already a new life and future. The community of Hiirola is involved in the reconstruction of the place and its environment.

The Hiirola railway station is developing into a small rural art center and art community. The station buildings are housing the art activities, archive and presentations of the art and culture association AREFS taide ja kulttuuri ry and the Dutch Foundation Stichting AllaprimA.

The Dutch artist Marja de Jong has her studio in the railway station.

 


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