PRESS RELEASE
For release on January 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM EET  

Renewed Finlandia Hall Opens to the Public on January 4 – “Beginning of a New Era”

The wait is finally over as Finlandia Hall opens its doors on Saturday, January 4, after three years of renovation. The New Finlandia begins an entirely new era in the iconic venue’s history: for the first time, the doors will be open daily to all city residents and travellers, and the renovated Finlandia Hall will offer more diverse services than before, from a restaurant and wine café to accommodation, exhibition, and a design shop.

One of Finland’s most significant and versatile event venues, Finlandia Hall, designed by Alvar Aalto, opens after a long wait on January 4, 2025. The building has been under renovation since the beginning of 2022. For the first time in its history, the renovated Finlandia Hall will open not only to congress and event visitors but also to all city residents and travellers as a common, everyday leisure destination and experience venue.

“A completely new era is beginning in our story. Our history has been undeniably magnificent and successful, but modern times require new ways of thinking and operating models. During the renovation years, we have done bold and determined innovation and concept development work for our offerings to serve both our customers and Helsinki’s downtown area even better. The Finlandia Hall opening on Saturday is an entirely new kind of experience-based event center where everyone can experience something new and whose doors are open to everyone,” says Johanna Tolonen, CEO of Finlandia Hall Ltd.

Finlandia Hall’s annual visitor number has been approximately 200,000, and the future goal is to double the customer flow.

Services and Experiences Make the New Finlandia


Finlandia Meetings&Events: High-Quality Service and Cost-Effective Beauty

Versatile event and congress services remain the core of Finlandia Hall’s operations. The main building’s renovated meeting center has nearly twenty different spaces that combine modern comfort and design. The Finlandia Hall, Piazza, and other familiar magnificent event spaces and their furniture have been restored to their former glory, and they have been joined by a showroom specifically serving launch events or pop-up exhibitions.

State-of-the-art technology and a wide selection of renovated spaces enable high-quality events, concerts, congresses, celebrations, fairs, and meetings. One great example of this is the planned OSCE 50th anniversary celebration at Finlandia Hall in summer 2025, during Finland’s chairmanship period. Throughout the year, the halls will also be filled with various public events in diverse genres from ballet and musicals to pop, rock, and heavy metal concerts, not forgetting the Strauss concerts of the opening weekend.

“One of Finlandia Hall’s distinguishing factors as an event venue is its incomprehensible magnificence. It is already a destination in itself that doesn’t require a large decoration budget, thus being able to offer cost-effective beauty for events,” says Tolonen.

However, the renovated Finlandia Hall is much more than a single occasion or event: a guest coming for a concert, shareholders’ meeting, or afternoon coffee can also experience, if desired, an à la carte restaurant, an extensive art collection from the Helsinki City Art Museum, an engaging exhibition, or even the opportunity to stay overnight in this Alvar Aalto masterpiece.

“We have more services and experiences available than ever before, and they have been specifically designed to make event and meeting visitors’ visits experiential and comprehensive. A successful experience is further ensured by our own experienced and professionally renowned staff, whose service focuses on high customer satisfaction. For example, the house has its own kitchen, where dishes for all house events are created from snacks and pastries to cocktail services and dinner menus,” says Tolonen.


Finlandia Bistro: Finnish Flavors and Artisan Masterpieces

Finlandia Hall’s first à la carte restaurant, Finlandia Bistro, is a modern tribute to artisan work and Finnish ingredients, high-quality food and beverage products, and top-level service skills that ensure great experiences. The restaurant is led by Head Chef Mikko Puuronen, Chef Juho Lindström, and Restaurant Manager Mirva Heino. Puuronen has previously worked at Michelin-starred restaurants including Kadeau in Copenhagen, Kontrast in Oslo, Enoteca by Paco Pérez in Barcelona, and Chapter in Helsinki. The 64-seat Finlandia Bistro’s atmospheric milieu is created by Alvar Aalto’s unique architecture and design combined with Finlandia Hall’s original furniture and domestic art.

“We actively renew and update our menus according to seasons and ingredient growing periods, offering our customers genuinely responsible choices. Finnish flavors, foods, and ingredients are at the center of our work, but we draw inspiration from both Nordic and Italian, French, and Spanish cuisines. Just as Alvar Aalto was inspired by Italy! For us, all Finnish food is local food, and we want to be part of strengthening Finnish food, restaurant, and service culture,” says Puuronen.

The restaurant opens on Friday, January 17, 2025. The bistro serves dinner from Thursday to Saturday and is available for private events at other times. Table reservations can be made on the Finlandia Hall website.

• Head Chef: Mikko Puuronen
• Restaurant Manager: Mirva Heino
• Chef: Juho Lindström
• Opens: Fri January 17, 2025
• Hours: Thu 5 PM-11 PM, Fri 5 PM-12 AM, Sat 3 PM-12 AM
• Seating: dinner 64 seats, lounge groups 11 seats, bar counter 5 seats (total 80)

Finlandia Cafe&Wine: Above the Everyday on a New Viewing Terrace

Finlandia Hall’s new wine café serves seasonally changing high-quality café products and spectacular views. On the terrace, opened to the public for the first time, you can stop year-round to admire Helsinki center’s most beautiful views of Töölönlahti. Some of the café’s seats are restored, over 50-year-old chairs designed by Alvar Aalto, which have been in Finlandia Hall since its opening.
 
The café, led by Head Chef Mikko Puuronen and Café Manager Riikka Kanninen, offers delicious savory and sweet pastries, warm dishes and salads, and carefully selected wines and refreshments. The café’s signature delicacies are the Finlandia pastry and Alvar sparkling wine. On the terrace, customers are entertained by sculptor Kimmo Schroderus‘s five-meter and 500-kilogram sculpture “Entertainer’s Day Off.” The café opens on Saturday, January 4, 2025, and serves from Monday to Saturday.

• Head Chef: Mikko Puuronen
• Café Manager: Riikka Kanninen
• Opens: Sat January 4, 2025
• Winter and spring hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM-6 PM, Sat 11 AM-6 PM, Sun closed. On concert days, serves at least until the concert begins.
• Seating: 100, plus 100 seats on the terrace in summer
  
  

Finlandia Shop: Hand-picked Treasures and Unique Souvenirs

A design shop specializing in Finnish design opens next to the café, offering products from small Finnish design brands, unique Finlandia Collection products, timeless classics, products from Arabia art department’s ceramic artists, contemporary design utility items, and of course Aalto products to take home.

The product selection has been curated by Finlandia Experience Project Manager Annikka Alanko and CEO Johanna Tolonen in collaboration with Mirkku Kullberg and the Alvar Aalto Foundation. The visual design of the Finlandia Collection products is created by graphic designer Ilkka Kärkkäinen.

The nearly 300-square-meter design shop is located in Finlandia Hall’s north end, next to the café right by the main lobby. The shop opens on Saturday, January 4, 2025, and serves Monday to Saturday according to the café’s opening hours.

• Opens: Sat January 4, 2025
• Winter and Spring hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM-6 PM, Sat 11 AM-6 PM, Sun closed. On concert days, serves at least until the concert begins.
• Area: nearly 300 square meters
  
  

Finlandia Homes: Historically Unique Accommodation

Finlandia Hall’s new accommodation facilities offer a globally unique opportunity to experience Finnish design and architecture up close, and stay overnight in a concert and conference venue. These two apartments, originally designed by Alvar Aalto as staff residences and now carefully restored, embody functional aesthetics and authentic Finnish home atmosphere, and are now opened for the first time as bookable accommodation. The apartments are decorated respecting Aalto’s style and furnished with both modern classics and the building’s original furniture, making them a perfect choice for design and cultural heritage admirers.

Both apartments have separate entrances opposite Hesperianpuisto. The protected apartments are unfortunately not accessible. Breakfast is not included in the price, but various breakfast options are available daily at the wine café. Parking is available in Aimo Park under Finlandia Hall. The apartments can be booked through Finlandia Hall’s website.

Both apartments’ amenities:

• Small refrigerator
• Microwave
• Cooking plate
• Glasses, plates, and cutlery for four
• Water kettle and French press, coffee and tea

Aino

• Size 57 m²
• For 4 people
• Starting from €390 per night

The 57-square-meter Aino apartment suitable for four people offers a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere with its blue color scheme. Located near Töölönlahti, the more spacious apartment reflects Aino Aalto’s serene and elegant style. Finnish design, Artek lighting, and original furniture create perfect conditions for relaxation. The Aino apartment has a separate bedroom and a sofa bed in the living room. Apartment prices start from 390 euros per night.

Elissa

• Size 45 m²
• For 4 people
• Starting from €350 per night

The 45-square-meter Elissa apartment represents strong and bold design, where fiery glowing colors blaze, such as the living room’s powerful red. Located near Mannerheimintie, the apartment exudes energy and vitality. Elissa features a double bed in an alcove and a sofa bed. Apartment prices start from 350 euros per night.

Finlandia Experience Exhibition: To the Roots of the Aaltos

A permanent exhibition opening in Finlandia Hall in June 2025 will tell experientially about both Finnish identity and the life’s work and creative sources of Alvar, Aino, and Elissa Aalto. The exhibition offers an opportunity to deeply familiarize oneself with Alvar Aalto’s legacy and design principles. The exhibition also provides an opportunity for one’s own creative experiments inspired by Alvar, Aino, and Elissa.

The exhibition, opening in a 1,300-square-meter space that previously served as a rehearsal space for symphony orchestras among other uses, has been designed by Taina Väisänen from Takt Oy and scripted by Kirsti Manninen.

The exhibition will be divided into five different experiential spaces. First, the visitor enters the Prelude. The space plays a new arrangement of the Finlandia Hymn with a fresh recording by the Sibelius High School Chamber Choir. The Prelude gives visitors an auditory overview of the exhibition’s narrative.

The Prelude is followed by four other spaces: Healing Light, Land of Forests, Together, and MyAalto.

“The exhibition is strongly based on experientiality. Finlandia Hall is not a museum but a living event venue. Therefore, the exhibition also tells a vivid story about people, the house, and the world around it,” says Finlandia Experience Project Manager Annikka Alanko.

More about the exhibition will be announced later in Spring 2025.




Opening Month Program and Events

Finlandia Hall will celebrate the opening month throughout January with various programs. All house services will also enjoy different opening offers.

Jan 4                                          Strauss 25th Anniversary Concert

Jan 6                                          Strauss 25th Anniversary Concert

Jan 11                                        Tale of the Fells Film Concert

Jan 17-18                                  Finlandia Bistro Opening Weekend

Jan 17-18                                  Arja Saijonmaa: 55 years with the music of Mikis Theodorakis

Jan 25                                        Open House at Finlandia Hall

Jan 25-26                                  Apocalyptica plays Metallica Vol. 2

Finlandia Hall Open House Day January 25, 2025

On Saturday, January 25, 2025, Finlandia Hall will host an open house day, where everyone is welcome to enjoy, experience, learn and engage in discussions in Finlandia Hall’s renovated and renewed spaces, as well as explore the new services.

For children, there will be a trivia trail, an obstacle course, and musical performances. For adults, there will be interesting lectures and discussions that will explore the building’s history and its iconic features. Under the guidance of Aalto Foundation guides, there is also an opportunity to participate in a building tour and get to know more about the secrets of Finlandia Hall and the improvements brought by the renovation. All program items are free of charge.

Program for Children 10:30 AM–2:00 PM

• Trivia trail and obstacle course, with a piece of Finlandia Hall marble as a prize
• Duo Päistikka – Children’s music orchestra leads dancing and singing at the Piazza
  
  

Discussion Events 12:00 PM–3:00 PM

• 12:00 PM–1:00 PM Finlandia Hall, Helsinki’s Iconic Landmark

Professor Laura Kolbe opens the discussion, where we invite the audience to participate by sharing their own memories and experiences of Finlandia Hall.

• 2:00 PM–3:00 PM I Love the Human in You

Participants: Heikki Aalto-Alanen, Virpi Suutari, and Kirsti Manninen

“How do Heikki Aalto-Alanen’s book about his grandparents, Virpi Suutari’s Aalto documentary, and the upcoming Finlandia Hall exhibition find and support each other?”

Guided Tours

• Three departures at 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM
• In cooperation with the Alvar Aalto Foundation
• Registration one hour before the tour at Finlandia Hall’s service desk
• Each tour can accommodate the first 30 registered participants

Read more about Finlandia Hall’s opening year events: finlandiatalo.fi/en

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Finlandia Hall

Johanna Tolonen

CEO

040 551 3168

johanna.tolonen@finlandiatalo.fi

Finlandia Hall Services

Riitta Kilo

Business Director

040 555 2444

riitta.kilo@finlandiatalo.fi

Restaurant and wine café

Mikko Puuronen

Head Chef

040 4856877

mikko.puuronen@finlanditatalo.fi

MEDIA KIT

tinyurl.com/finlandiatalo

The photos in the media kit are freely available for use, but the photographer’s name must be credited when published.

Finlandia Hall

Finlandia Hall is the world’s leading place for congresses, events, and culture, located in the heart of Helsinki. The house uniquely combines architecture, design, functionality, and atmosphere. The new Finlandia Hall opens to the public on January 4, 2025. In addition to event operations, the building’s north end will open for the first time with accommodation possibilities, new restaurant concepts, a design shop, and a permanent exhibition that opens in June 2025. Until the end of 2025, Finlandia Hall will also serve its customers in the unique wooden event center Little Finlandia, whose inviting café and terrace area in beautiful natural surroundings has become a living room for city residents and a favorite destination for travellers.

www.finlandiatalo.fi

Finlandia Hall

Mannerheimintie 13e

00100 Helsinki

Photo: Ville Heiskanen Inspiroiva Creative

The extensive renovation project of the Finlandia Hall, which began in 2022, is nearing completion. The reopening of Finlandia Hall with its events and new services will enhance the appeal of downtown Helsinki as a destination for events and leisure. The comprehensive renovation is proceeding on schedule and within budget.

The magnificent Finlandia Hall will once again open to the public and host significant international events in January 2025. This reopening is a significant design and cultural achievement for Helsinki and Finland, enhancing their attractiveness. The Finlandia Hall will feature exciting exhibitions, new restaurant concepts, and original accommodation spaces now open to the public for the first time.

“The City of Helsinki eagerly anticipates the reopening of Finlandia Hall. For the city, the renovation is an investment in a thriving conference city and the vibrant Töölönlahti area. It is also the city’s largest single economic investment in built cultural heritage and the preservation of Alvar Aalto’s architecture. We trust that the renewed Finlandia Hall with its exhibitions will attract a much larger audience of residents and visitors. It was delightful, though not surprising, that Domus Magazine named the completion of Finlandia Hall’s renovation one of the most anticipated buildings of 2024, alongside the new Beijing library and the Notre Dame Cathedral,” says Deputy Mayor Anni Sinnemäki.

Designed by Alvar Aalto and completed in 1971, Finlandia Hall is one of Finland’s most renowned modern buildings and architectural creations. However, much has changed in terms of technology, energy efficiency, and accessibility requirements over the past fifty years, so it was time to update the building while preserving its original appearance.

The renovation includes the refurbishment of the façade’s marble, the updating of the main building’s technical systems, and improvements in accessibility and energy efficiency. The worn surfaces and furnishings of the main building are also being restored to their original glory. Extensive conservation work is already halfway done, and the final stages of construction are underway.

The modernized spaces are more energy-efficient than before, thanks to new windows and exterior insulation. The building will also feature waste heat recovery, programmable LED lighting, and a solar panel system.

Moving around the building will be easier than ever

Post-renovation, the most significant changes inside include new exhibition, café, restaurant, and shop spaces. The building now has a new underground kitchen and technical rooms, enabling more diverse restaurant services and more impressive technical implementations. Accessibility has been enhanced to meet today’s standards. The Helsinki Hall is now accessible via a new lift and ramp. Additional accessible seating and induction loops have been added to the halls. There are also new accessible restrooms in the building.

Strong focus on circular economy

The renovation has aimed to reuse as much of the existing material in the building as possible. During the project, 412 doors and 213 windows have been refurbished. Over 2,000 light fixtures have been restored, with some also modernized. Approximately seven kilometers of building moldings have been removed and repurposed as base, door, and window moldings.

The building’s façade has received a new cladding made of marble from South Tyrol. Most of the dismantled marble has been recycled for reuse as raw material. The marble has been used to produce natural flooring and wall materials, with marble dust and clay as components.

The building is filled with experiences

Over the years, the timelessly stylish Finlandia Hall has become a central part of the city’s appeal as a venue for top events. Before the renovation, the Helsinki-owned Finlandia Hall hosted 900 events annually, attracting over 200,000 customers and generating approximately 50 million euros in regional economic impact per year.

Finlandia Hall Ltd. estimates that the new business concepts and content will further increase international interest in Finlandia Hall’s operations. The goal is to double the annual number of visitors. The event spaces, new restaurant concepts, and accommodation facilities will open in January 2025. The immersive exhibition, showcasing the works of Aalto, nature relationships, and internationality, will open in the summer of 2025.

“Helsinki has a critical shortage of large event venues. For the city’s international attractiveness, it is essential to compete for significant international meetings, conferences, and events, not only with a uniquely architectural building but also with new, appealing content. The building’s reopening offers a unique opportunity to experience Finnish architecture, design, and culture in a new way,” says Johanna Tolonen, CEO of Finlandia Hall.

Renovation Facts

• The large building has a volume of 138,000 m³, equivalent to 360 single-family homes.
• The building is protected by the Building Protection Act, and the project’s planning has involved consultation with the National Board of Antiquities and the Alvar Aalto Foundation.
• The planning is managed by the City of Helsinki’s Urban Environment Division. The planning and construction organization includes 38 people. The project management contractor has employed nearly 300 people simultaneously at its peak. Skanska is the contractor.
• The renovation will be completed in autumn 2024, and the renewed Finlandia Hall will reopen to the public in January 2025. Pikku Finlandia will continue to operate at least until 2025, serving Finlandia Hall’s event customers and the general public with a variety of services on the shore of Töölönlahti.

Additional Information:

Finlandia Hall Ltd.
Johanna Tolonen CEO
+358 40 551 3168
johanna.tolonen@finlandiatalo.fi

For questions related to the implementation of the renovation:
Heikki Korpela
Project Director Skanska Talonrakennus Oy
+358 50 3100 720
heikki.korpela@skanska.fi

For questions related to the planning of the renovation:
Mika Heimala
Project Director Buildings and General Areas Urban Environment Division
+358 9 310 42049
mika.heimala@hel.fi

IMAGES:

1. Finland’s most significant event venue returns with new services – IMAGE: Finlandia Hall, PHOTOGRAPHER: Satu Mali
2. The public wine café offers a view of Töölönlahti – IMAGE: Finlandia Hall, PHOTOGRAPHER: Satu Mali
3. Infographic of Finlandia Hall’s renovation – City of Helsinki / Architects NRT Oy

Evento Awards is a competition in the event industry, where Finland’s best event implementations, venues, speakers, authors and companies are rewarded. The renewed Evento Awards were organized in the spring of 2024. The works of 2023 participated in the competition. The winners of the competition were celebrated at the Kongressi Meetings & Events fair on Thursday, April 11, 2024.

Little Finland was a finalist in two different categories; launch and the best venue. The victory came as the best event venue in Finland’s most prestigious event industry competition.

The Evento Awards judges justified their decision as follows:

“The unique and completely new kind of venue has received praiseworthy feedback. It is a versatile, spacious and versatile event space, where responsibility, recycling and fairly unobstructed access are emphasized. The arrangements, technology and space division and acoustics work. Especially when you consider that the space is only designed for temporary use.”

Finlandia Hall’s CEO Johanna Tolonen commented on the win as follows:

“Thank you very much for the award, this means a lot to us. Pikku-Finlandia is a space that was made because of the long renovation of Finlandia Hall. Thanks go to the amazing team, staff and also to the wonderful partners. I feel that the award is a work win for the entire events industry. We have survived the COVID together. Little Finland has especially become a landmark that attracts international tourists, and we hope for a continuation of Little Finland’s story.”

Renovation of Finlandia Hall is progressing. The most significant of the upcoming
modernisations is the opening of the northern part of the building to the public, which
will bring new service concepts for tourists and locals. During the renovations, Little
Finlandia has attracted media attention at home and abroad, and well over 120,000
customers have visited over a period of ten months. Now the popular event venue is
seeking an extension.

Finlandia Hall will open to the public in early 2025 when its spectacular, renovated facilities will open for concerts and events. The renovations will mean an improvement to the building’s energy efficiency and the accessibility of the facilities. The building will
also have a larger kitchen, which will enable even better restaurant services. Once the work is complete, the northern part of Finlandia Hall will open to the public. A luxury Finlandia Experience concept will be created in the northern part of the building,
comprising a wine café, design shop, an immersive exhibition, and unique accommodation. The facilities previously used by the Helsinki city orchestra will be entirely repurposed to house an experimental exhibition showcasing Finland, Alvar Aalto’s works, and the history of Finlandia Hall. Ateljé Sotamaa is responsible for the design of the exhibition, which will open in summer 2025. As part of the Finlandia Experience concept, two apartments in the northern section of Finlandia Hall which were previously used to house employees, and later as office facilities, will be opened as tourist accommodation. Other new services include Finlandia Lounge, a high-end bar and restaurant that can be leased for private functions by event organisers on weekdays and will serve as a public bistro on weekends.
The terrace hall, which was last used as conference facilities, will be given new life as a wine café and a design shop. Its expansive terrace boasts fantastic views over Töölönlahti. The new wine café will open in 2025 and offer a different setting and menu than the popular Finlandia Cafe&Wine café in Little Finlandia.

The new living room for locals and unique event venue Little Finlandia is
seeking an extension

The hope is that the locals’ living room and new event venue Little Finland can continue to operate alongside the familiar Finlandia Hall. Last year was a great success for Little Finlandia. The new Finlandia Cafe&Wine wine café saw three times more customers than it had hoped for, and the original 12-month turnover target was exceeded in just ten months. Little Finlandia has already hosted 400 parties, conferences, international congresses, galas, concerts, and public events. Finlandia Hall has sought an extension from the City of Helsinki for popular Little Finlandia. There is demand for the event venue, and it is only increased by Finland’s chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Europe in 2025. OSCE’s 50th anniversary celebrations will be held in Helsinki.
“Helsinki lacks versatile and adaptable event venues. Last year was a fantastic success, which indicates how the event industry has recovered since the pandemic. Demand for Little Finlandia has exceeded all expectations. Bookings for this year are excellent, and we have a truly interesting range of current events in store. The success of the wine café shows that we need also need experience-based services for consumers and tourists. The renovated Finlandia Hall will also meet this demand,” says Johanna Tolonen, CEO of Finlandia Hall.

Sustainability and a distinct food philosophy are at the core of Little Finlandia

Behind its successful year is consistent work on the many details of the event venue. With the opening of Little Finlandia, restaurant operations were taken over by Finlandia Hall itself, with successful results. Little Finlandia’s food philosophy and gastronomy draw on Finland’s rich culinary traditions while boldly creating new dishes. The menu contains dishes made with peak seasonal ingredients locally sourced from Finnish producers. The food products vary by season and are often served in a surprising way. The cornerstone of sustainability in the kitchen is reducing food waste, which has achieved significant results due to an overhaul of conference catering. Plated dishes are not only delicious, but they are attractive and reduce food waste by 65 per cent. Customers feedback has been excellent. The event centre is more than just beautiful wooden architecture. It conceals within it a public art gallery with free admission. Finlandia Galleria contains changing, curated exhibitions from Finnish artists or about Finnish history. For example, portraits of Hollywood movie stars will be exhibited in May. Additionally, the walls of the event centre
are adorned with top Finnish works from HAM’s collection, by artists such as Elina Brotherus and Tamara Piilola.

Info box
– Finlandia Hall is undergoing renovations. The new and improved Finlandia Hall will
open to the public in early 2025.
– The northern part of the building will open to the public with modernised service
concepts.
– The main building of Finlandia Hall, which was designed by Alvar Aalto, was
completed in 1971 and its congress wing followed in 1975. The building was
extended with the Veranda space in 2011.
– No renovation of this scale has previously been carried out.
– The renovation client and building owner is the City of Helsinki, whose Urban
Environment Division is responsible for implementation and development.
– Teemu Tuomi and Arkkitehdit NRT Oy are the principal designer for the
renovations, and Skanska is the contractor.

More information is available from:
Johanna Tolonen
CEO
Finlandia-talo Oy
+358 (0)9 4024 410
johanna.tolonen@finlandiatalo.fi
www.finlandiatalo.fi