The Uskela National Guard building, built of timber logs, is a prime example of beautifully proportioned Nordic classicism of the 1920s with Italian influences.

The façade is clad in vertical weatherboarding. The upper-storey windows have four panes and those on the ground floor six. The main entrance is emphasised by a semi-circular window and a balcony supported by simple wooden columns. The street side façade with the two-storey-high festive hall’s tall windows is decorated with balusters and pilasters carrying decorative urns.

The stage in the festive hall is framed by classicist decoration, and on the upper floor there is a balcony. The downstairs foyer has a stepped ceiling and three arched openings leading to the refreshments space. The internal windows at the lower end of the stairs with classicist railings are circular.

After WWII the National Guard was dissolved and the Uskela Farmers’ Club became the new user of the building. During the times it has also operated as a weaving school and health centre. Currently the building is hired out for events and a 1970s extension houses a handicrafts centre.

Text: Mikko Laaksonen