Originally designed by Modernist architect and designer Alvar Aalto in 1971, Finlandia Hall represents one of Helsinki's most important modernist works of architecture. In early 2022, an extensive renovation project began, led by Finnish architecture firm Arkkitehdit NRT, aiming to make the venue more accessible to the wider public and create additional services while respecting Alvar Aalto's original design. After three years of renovation, Finlandia Hall officially reopens on Saturday, 4 January 2025.
Commissioned in 1962 by the city of Helsinki and completed in 1971, Alvar Aalto's Finlandia Hall was conceived as the initial element of a larger city center plan. The building's design features a main auditorium and a smaller chamber music hall, originally envisioned as a separate elevated structure. The building is structured to face Terrace Square, while underground tunnels were to connect it to other cultural buildings planned along the shore of Töölö Bay. Interior design was primarily handled by interior designer Pirkko Söderman and the architect Elissa Aalto, as the building was conceived as a "Gesamtkunstwerk", a total work of art. The main auditorium holds 1750 seats, the chamber music hall 350. A congress wing was added in 1975, featuring conference rooms and halls of various sizes and a concave glass façade adapted to make space for the old trees growing on site.
The renovation project conducted by Arkkitehdit NRT prioritized preserving the building's original appearance while modernizing its interior and improving accessibility. Extensive underground work created nearly 2,000 square meters of new technical space, without altering the exterior. Upgrades include new lifts, accessible seating, bathrooms, a new kitchen, and updated LED lighting.
The renovation, completed within schedule and budget, also aimed to follow sustainable building principles, with over 60% of doors and 70% of windows refurbished, and 7km of reclaimed moldings reused. Recycled facade marble was sold for repurposing. Energy efficiency improvements include new windows, insulation, and waste heat recovery.
The renovated Finlandia Hall will offer new exhibition spaces, a café, restaurant, and shop, and repurposed employee apartments now serve as accommodation. A key feature is the opening of the previously inaccessible northern section to the public, creating a "Finlandia Experience." This includes a wine café, a design shop, and the opening of a new exhibition showcasing Alvar Aalto's work and Finnish history, designed by Ateljé Sotamaa.
In other restoration-related news, a new European Citizens' Initiative calls for EU legislation to encourage the reuse of existing structures, prioritizing the potential of existing public and private buildings. The extensive renovation of the fire-damaged Notre Dame in Paris has also reached a major milestone with the official reopening of the cathedral in December 2024, while restoration works continue in parts of the structure.
