Finland

Finland's entries treat public buildings as the argument. Helsinki's neoclassical centre was laid out in the 1820s when Russia moved the capital here, and the twentieth century added Saarinen, Aalto and a design culture reaching tableware and textiles alike; the Oodi library lends power tools and sewing machines as well as books. Rovaniemi was burned by retreating German forces in 1944 and replanned by Aalto in the shape of reindeer antlers.