Oulu flies flags on February 3 in honor of Alvar Aalto

The city of Oulu organizers an official flag-flying day on February 3 to honor Alvar and Aino Aalto and Finnish architecture and design. The flag-flying day is based on the Ministry of the Interior’s 2022 recommendation. 

In 2026, Oulu serves as the spokesperson of the Alvar Aalto City Network and organizes the Alvar Aalto Week in late August. 

During the European Capital of Culture year 2026, architecture and design are visible widely in Oulu’s events and programming. For example, the exhibition Beyond Zero in Design Centre Proto presents seventeen projects from the Nordic countries and Estonia. The Arkkitehtuurin Oulun koulu Architecture Exhibition in the same place examines architecture from a northern and unique perspective – an architecture movement known as Oulun koulu. Europe’s most significant EU Mies van der Rohe Architecture Award will be awarded in the Aalto Silo on April 16. 

Additionally, Oulu will host the Finnish Association of Architect’s Architecture Day on April 17.