Birger Federley – Art Nouveau Architect

In the spring of 2024, it has been 150 years since the birth of Birger Federley (1874–1935). He studied architecture in Helsinki with fellow students such as Lars Sonck and Wivi Lönn, as well as the later world-famous trio Gesellius-Lindgren-Saarinen.

Birger Federley spent his entire over thirty-year career as an architect in Tampere. He is considered a quintessential Art Nouveau architect, and many of the Art Nouveau landmarks in Tampere’s cityscape, such as De Gamlas Hem, Palander House, Laukonlinna, Kymmenenmies House, National Bank Building, Tuominen Stone Wall, Shipping Company Building, and Frenckell Factory Area, were created at his desk. He designed the Tirkkonen House together with Lars Sonck and the Tirkkonen Fountain in Näsinpuisto in collaboration with Emil Wickström.

As a designer, Federley was prolific and versatile. He created various buildings for industrial needs in Tampere and elsewhere in Finland, summer villas and industrial leaders’ villas, hospital buildings, two churches, as well as interiors, furniture, and business logos. Federley was a trusted designer of manors and was considered an expert on workers’ housing conditions in Finland at the time.

Please note that the exhibition may be closed on museum event days.