Finnish Architecture

Helsinki Architecture and Design Highlights

Welcome to Helsinki! 

This selection presents buildings that are featured in the printed “Helsinki Architecture & Design Highlights” map, published by Archinfo and Finnish Design Info in 2025. In all, the map showcases 125 gems for friends of architecture and design as well as an informative timeline from history to today of Helsinki's development as an architecture and design capital.

For inquiries about the printed map, please contact info@archinfo.fi.

graphic design: Sofia Pusa
images: Miina Jutila

 

A map in a bookshelf with a blue wine-glass-like vase and a plant
 
A map opened, with visible folds
 
A brochure opened, with visible folds

Projects (84)

A large white building with multiple windows on all sides

Radisson RED Helsinki

Anttinen Oiva Architects, Helsinki 2023
Group of dirrerent-coloured cabins on shoreline rocks

Majamaja Village for off-grid living

Littow architectes, Helsinki 2023
Entire building seen from outside. Shoreline in the foreground.

Katajanokan Laituri

Anttinen Oiva Architects, Helsinki 2024
Exterior of building with lights on inside lobby

Wood City

Anttinen Oiva Architects, Helsinki 2020
FeatureImage_JKMM Architects - Tanssin talo © Hannu Rytky 7 Edit 1500px

Dance House Helsinki

JKMM Architects +1, Helsinki 2022
JKMM ARCHITECTS 2021 University of the Arts Helsinki, Helsinki

Academy of Fine Arts, Mylly

JKMM Architects, Helsinki 2021
Interior photo of a space with a large arched window and wooden sitting chairs

Urban Environment House

Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Architects, Helsinki 2020
Helsingin uimastadion J P Kärnä Wikimedia Commons

Helsinki Swimming Stadium

Jorma Järvi, Helsinki 1940
Aerial view of the boardwalk

Lammassaari Boardwalk

Studio Puisto +1, Helsinki 2018
Lobby with glass roof

Ateneum Art Museum Extension

LPR Architects, Helsinki 2000
Street view

Elanto Headquarters

Väinö Vähäkallio, Helsinki 1928
Yrjönkatu Swimming 1

Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall

Väinö Vähäkallio, Helsinki 1928
View from the west

Helsinki Worker's Institute

Gunnar Taucher, Helsinki 1927
Building with three floors, streetscape

Museum of Finnish Architecture

Magnus Schjerfbeck, Helsinki 1899
Children's hospital and its yard

Lastenlinna Children's Hospital

Elsi Borg +2, Helsinki 1948
Metsäatalo Börje Dilén HKM

Metsätalo Building

Jussi Paatela, Helsinki 1939
Courtyard with trees of a worker's housing from the 1920s

Workers' Housing for Kone ja Silta Ltd

Armas Lindgren +1, Helsinki 1929
Yellow Brick building on the opposite side of the street

Helsinki School of Economics

Woldemar Baeckman +1, Helsinki 1950
Yellow hospital facade with a stone base.

Eira Hospital

Lars Sonck, Helsinki 1905
Jugend Hall

Jugend Hall

Lars Sonck +1, Helsinki 1904
Corner of the building with a tower.

Pohjola Insurance Company

Herman Gesellius +2, Helsinki 1901
Brown city house at the corner of a street with a tower at the top.

Tallberg House

Herman Gesellius +2, Helsinki 1898
Ebeneser

Ebeneser Kindergarten

Wivi Lönn, Helsinki 1908
Square shaped building as seen from outside with trees surrounding it.

Lauttasaari Church

Keijo Petäjä +1, Helsinki 1958
Grönqvist House 1

Grönqvist Building

Helsinki 1883
STone staircse with blue metal railing with a triangular pattern.

Serpentine House

Yrjö Lindegren +1, Helsinki 1951
AOR Jätkäsaaren peruskoulu Pyry Kantonen 004

Jätkäsaari School

AOR Architects, Helsinki 2019
Wood sculptural observation tower with a grid detail on a sunny day.

Helsinki Zoo Observation Tower Kupla

Ville Hara / Aalto Arts Wood Program 2002, Helsinki 2002
Orange metal support structure.

HTC High Tech Centre

Kai Wartiainen +1, Helsinki 2001
Aerial image of the Sokos department store and its surroundings.

Sokos Department Store

Erkki Huttunen, Helsinki 1952
Round medallions on the curved facade above the entrance. In the middle there is a long grid window.

Kunsthalle Helsinki

Jarl Eklund +1, Helsinki 1928
Flowerbeds and lawn in front of the large winter garden.

Winter Garden

Gustaf Nyström, Helsinki 1893
Entrance hall with high ceilings, glass and metal elements.

Sanoma Headquarters

Sarc Architects, Helsinki 1999
Mäntyniemi 3 cover

Mäntyniemi Residence of the President of Finland

Reima Pietilä +1, Helsinki 1993
White-tile university building facade.

Swedish School of Social Science, University of Helsinki

Helander Leiviskä Architects +1, Helsinki 2009
Stepped white brick and glass facade.

Sandels Cultural Centre

Helander Leiviskä Architects +1, Helsinki 2007
In the building’s regular squared facade of copper and glass, the display window axes of the two bottom floors correspond to the office window axes of the two top floors. The building is separated from its neighbours by visible red-brick fire walls.

Rautatalo Office Building

Alvar Aalto +1, Helsinki 1955
Inner yard shaped like an aphitheatre on a snowy day.

Studio Aalto

Alvar Aalto +1, Helsinki 1955
marble facade.

Finlandia Hall

Alvar Aalto +1, Helsinki 1971
Yard with grass covered stairs leading up to the yellow building

Vallila Library and Daycare Centre

Helander Leiviskä Architects +1, Helsinki 1991
White tile facade with a glass wall at the back of the building.

Töölö Library

Aarne Ervi, Helsinki 1970
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Merikasarmi Naval Barracks

Carl Ludvig Engel +1, Helsinki 1819
Main building of the Helsinki University with its stone facade and arch and column details.

Helsinki University

Carl Ludvig Engel, Helsinki 1832
Birds eye view picture of the old church and its surroundings with the sea at the horizon.

The Old Church

Carl Ludvig Engel, Helsinki 1826
Aerial image of the H shaped Lapinlahti hospital situated in the coast and its neighboring small islands.

Lapinlahti Hospital

Carl Ludvig Engel, Helsinki 1841
Helsingin kaupunginmuseo Grünberg Constantin 1960 l km0000m8fg

Senate Palace

Carl Ludvig Engel, Helsinki 1822
Aerial view of the Allas sea pool and the city centre around it.

Allas Sea Pool

Huttunen–Lipasti–Pakkanen Architects, Helsinki 2017
Bird's eye view of the walkable domes of the Amos Rex museum.

Amos Rex and Lasipalatsi

Viljo Revell +2, Helsinki 2018
Terminal facade with glazed walls.

West Terminal II

PES-Architects, Helsinki 2017
Spacious wood and concrete hall with a cafeteria.

Think Corner

JKMM Architects, Helsinki 2017
Yellow building with a green cupola and white decorative columns at the entrance and beams at the sides.

National Library of Finland

Carl Ludvig Engel, Helsinki 1840
Wooden sauna with a dark roof on the shore.

Lonna Sauna

OOPEAA +1, Helsinki 2017
Brick facade of the parliament extension.

Little Parliament

Helin & Co Architects, Helsinki 2004
Aerial view of löyly and the ocean.

Löyly Public Sauna and Restaurant

Avanto Architects, Helsinki 2016
Ornate facade of the atheneum art museum.

Ateneum Art Museum

Theodor Höijer, Helsinki 1887
Parliament House won a sunny winter day.

Parliament House

J. S. Sirén, Helsinki 1931
Facade of the Hotel Palace in the 1950s with few boats on the shore.

Hotel Palace

Viljo Revell +1, Helsinki 1952
Long light blue building with a white entrance supported by columns that also works as a balcony for the second floor.

Helsinki City Hall

Aarno Ruusuvuori +1, Helsinki 1833
Main Stage viewed from behind the curtains, the walls seats are illuminated in a warm color.

Finnish National Opera

Hyvämäki-Karhunen-Parkkinen Architects, Helsinki 1993
Old stone building, in the from there is a small glass building on the shore.

Paasitorni, Helsinki Workers' House

Karl Lindahl, Helsinki 1908
Stone facade with a brown roof and small tower on the sides.

Finnish National Theatre

Onni Tarjanne, Helsinki 1902
Spacious white interior with metal window frames and a marble floor.

Helsinki City Theatre

Timo Penttilä, Helsinki 1967
Wooden curving entrance facade with a cloud-like glass structure on top, a square in the front ground

Helsinki Central Library Oodi

ALA Architects, Helsinki 2018
Wave like building with mirrored glass wall next to a public green area.

Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma

Steven Holl, Helsinki 1998
Spiral staircase in an industrial surrounding.

Helsinki University Porthania Building

Aarne Ervi, Helsinki 1957
Red-tile facade of the department store with a large stockman sign viewed from the other side of the street.

Stockmann Department Store

Sigurd Frosterus, Helsinki 1930
Interior of the rock church with purple cushioned bench rows, a window panel surrounding every side of the room and a wooden rounded ceiling on top

Temppeliaukio Church

Timo Suomalainen +1, Helsinki 1969
Stone fence around the courtyard.

National Pensions Institute

Alvar Aalto +2, Helsinki 1956
Yellow building with arch doorways and decorative pillars at night.

Presidential Palace

Pehr Granstedt +1, Helsinki 1820
Wooden interior of the curve-shaped chapel

Kamppi Chapel

K2S Architects, Helsinki 2012
View from a rock over the terrace cafe , city silhouette in the background

Cafe Mattolaituri

Helin & Co Architects, Helsinki 2011
Musiikkitalo / Helsinki Music Center in Töölönlahti area.

Helsinki Music Centre

LPR Architects, Helsinki 2011
National-romantic buildling with a tall tower next to a paved street

National Museum

Armas Lindgren +2, Helsinki 1916
Two pairs of statues holding the spherical lamps on both sides of the main entrance next to the clock tower

Helsinki Central Railway Station

Eliel Saarinen, Helsinki 1919
High-rise office building, pedestrians, bicycles and cars from the 1930's

General Post Office

Erik Lindroos +1, Helsinki 1938
Tower of the hotel standing out from the surrounding lower buildings

Hotel Torni

Valter Jung +1, Helsinki 1931
Power plant with high smoking pipe by the sea

Hanasaari Power Plant

Timo Penttilä, Helsinki 1976
Red-brick church with patina roofs and golden domes

Uspenski Cathedral

Aleksei Gornostajev, Helsinki 1868
A statue of Alexander II in the middle of a square in front of a white cathedral

Helsinki Cathedral

Carl Ludvig Engel +1, Helsinki 1852
Flat-roofed house, lawn and trees and a low stone wall in front of a terrace

The Aalto House

Alvar Aalto +1, Helsinki 1936
Aerial photo

Olympic Stadium

Yrjö Lindegren +1, Helsinki 1938
Façade with big window arch and small square shaped windows

Helsinki University Main Library Kaisa

Anttinen Oiva Architects, Helsinki 2012
Illuminated glass walled main entrance with an icebreaker in the background

Arctia Shipping Headquarters

Helsinki 2013
Red brick building with a lower connecting part to copper-clad office. In the foreground a canopy throughout the building complex

House of Culture

Alvar Aalto, Helsinki 1958