Open House Helsinki provides rare access to interesting sites

One of the most anticipated events this spring in May involves architectural orienteering, architects’ clinics and walking tours. Digital doors will open to the clock tower of the Helsinki Railway Station designed by Eliel Saarinen, the studio of Yrjö Kukkapuro and YLE’s link tower, for example. Guided tours lead architecture lovers all the way from the Mall of Tripla to Töölö and Helsinki in the 1920s.

The 2021 Open House Helsinki (7–9 May) programme has been published. In May we’ll have the opportunity to participate in architectural orienteering, architects’ clinics and walking tours, for example. Through videos, we’ll be able to enter the clock tower of the Helsinki Railway Station designed by Eliel Saarinen, the “greenest of the green” residential building in the district of Jätkäsaari, the studio of Yrjö Kukkapuro, YLE’s link tower, and the Roihuvuori primary school. Video presentations with either audio or subtitles in English are available throughout the event.

You can take an independent audio tour around the outdoors of the sites. The tours by the Museum of Finnish Architecture will introduce us to the 1920s Helsinki in Töölö, Vallilla and wooden Puu-Käpylä. The district of Jätkäsaari and the Mall of Tripla area in Pasila are interesting in terms of landscape architecture. An independent audio tour of Kallio by architect Inari Virkkala will introduce us to the public areas of the district’s residential buildings.

Another opportunity to experience architecture in your own rhythm is the orienteering we are now organizing for the first time. The orienteering route, which includes Jugend style gems and more modern architecture in southern Helsinki, can be taken throughout the weekend.

There will also be an opportunity for two-way consultation with an architect during the clinics held over the weekend. The clinics are an opportunity to ask for advice on common design problems directly from the architects. The concept familiar from previous years now takes the form of remote consultation.

Open House Helsinki takes place from 7 to 9 May. The programme consists of video demonstrations of architecturally interesting sites, architectural orienteering, walking tours of attractive outdoor areas, and inspiring architects’ clinics. See the programme and book an appointment at the clinic here.