Weaving Mill area!

Forssa, Weaving Mill area in past and present 29.8.2014

guided by Outi Silfvenius

On Friday we went with our guests to the Weaving Mill area to see, how the Weaving mill area lives on! The Idea was to introduce the area, its history and architecture, visit in an exhibition, show how the old buildings are reused and by activating on doing, tell how the textile heritage and design continues in the area and lives on.

The areas exhibition is in the corridore to Tasapaino and Outi Silvfenius atelier.

There is old maps from the area in the exhibition.

Our guide Outi Silvfenius. She used to work as a designer in Finlayson.

The Weaving Mill area is large and today part of it is a shopping mall. 



Some of the old factory buildings are now empty.



The machinery is taken away and there is space for new ideas.



Forssa is above all known for printed textile.



The industrial textile printing began in Forssa in 1861.

In Forssa was the first mill in Finland on industrial textile printing.



The Golden years on printing textile in the factory was in 1950-70´s.

Several people have walked in this area and made their mark in its history.

Almost 150 years continual industrial textile printing finished in 2009.

 

The Old weaving mill.

This factory building was completed for use in 1878.

Wiksberg´s weaving mill began operation here in 1855, eight years after the establishment of a spinning mill Forssa.

In 1859, the spinning and weaving mill combined as  Forssa Company.

Today in the old weaving mill building is a Fitness center.



The Weaving Mill´s power plant was build in 1924.

The buildings in the area were extended several times in 1800 and 1900's.

To the Weaving Mill area is a nice view from the Fitness center.

In the are, there used to be an automatic weaving company, since 1951.

At best, there was 1500 machines weaving.

From the time of Finlayson in the area, the only thing which remained is Finlayson Outlet.



The selection in the store is Finlayson bed linens and daytime textiles, Familon duvets and pillows, Finlayson fabrics and Low-priced discount sets.

Pictures: Tanja Härmä

Text: Minna Lehtola