Amos Rex – when the circus came to town
Finnish architecture entered a new golden age when the Amos Rex art museum opened in August 2018. Right from the outset, the work of art that is Amos Rex has included a line at the door, kids and curious adults climbing the mound in the square, and futuristic staff uniforms designed by R/H Studio. JKMM Architects, who designed Amos Rex, described their creation as an urban playground, and the opening exhibition of digital art by teamLab from Tokyo was only the first of many playful experiments. The fairy-tale adventures of Alice in Wonderland can be experienced with the help of augmented reality, and the subterranean exhibition spaces provide the perfect setting for exploring surreal and ancient worlds. The goal of the multifaceted teamLab has been to redefine reality, as a result of which Amos Rex will be known well into the future for its role in revolutionising the museum experience!
Oodi – an ode to shared love
Described as an urban living room when it opened in 2018, Helsinki Central Library Oodi is arguably the most beloved new building in the Finnish capital. Climb to the top floor and you can admire an unimpeded view of Parliament House across the street. On the ground floor, you can sip wine and watch films. And somewhere on the other side of all the sewing machines, 3D printers, studios, conference rooms and live radio broadcasts, you will also find shelf after shelf of books. Whereas library branches are intimate hideaways, Oodi is a bustling cultural hub for locals on their way to the train station or a date. Oodi became an object of international admiration immediately, but above all it is an oasis for locals to call their own. It is unassuming and exhilarating at the same time – a place that is happening and where the vibe is easy to get into. In fact, Oodi could be the most diverse spot in Helsinki!
Vallisaari – art and butterflies
Nature, especially the sea and archipelago, is what makes Helsinki such an exceptional capital city. You don’t have to look further than the convenient ferries and boat rental services for examples of great urban design, but if you throw in some nice cafés and art exhibitions, you can enjoy the shorelines and islands from one day to the next. The “menu” of the Helsinki Biennial (2023) even includes curated accommodation – the Helsinki Art Museum HAM was also behind the legendary Hotel Manta of Helsinki, a combined hotel room and exhibition space built around Havis Amanda fountain. The unique ecosystem of the archipelago will also make you want to stay longer. Vallisaari, in particular, is home to intimate and high-quality experience entrepreneurs and designers who treat the island with the highest respect. Whichever direction Vallisaari develops in, there is one more island on the map of our hearts!
Wolt – and other wonderful restaurant experiences
The restaurant scene in Helsinki has undergone an unprecedented transformation over the past decade. New and exquisitely thought-out culinary concepts pop up like mushrooms throughout the city. It’s easy to feel envious of new experiences when they are fully booked from the minute they open! The Finnish-born food delivery service Wolt, which was recently sold for billions, represents a new kind of urban culture that has brought an incredible “city buffet” the hottest chefs into our homes. Chefs have become the most visible personalities in urban culture, and their influence on the atmosphere in Helsinki is warm and palpable, whether their style is burgers or Barbaresco!
Mylly – the “mill” grinds the arts together
Culture needs a mill to grind out hope. Such a mill is Mylly, the new main building of the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki. The fact that such a fine building was allowed to be built makes your heart beat faster. Mylly brings all the art forms represented by the University of the Arts Helsinki closer together – and it even provides indoor access to the neighbouring Theatre Academy. It’s fascinating to consider how combining the arts will give birth to new kinds of exhibitions, performances, forums and other combined works of art. The rooftop terrace at Mylly provides a Manhattan-like atmosphere that is completely new to Helsinki – and a birds-eye view for those in possession of the password!
Museum Card – turning museums into public temples
Since 2015, Helsinki’s cultural life has been strongly moulded by the Museum Card, which as liberated locals in the way they experience the city’s museums. For a modest annual fee, the card provides the “key” to the majority of museums – not only in Helsinki, but throughout Finland. It encourages people to peek into exhibitions and experience things that might not be on their bucket list. The Museum Card has enabled locals to consider museums more as personal urban spaces in which sitting and meditating – as if in a temple – lead to new kinds of contentment. Utopian thinkers were even dreaming of a gold card that would provide access to museums outside of opening hours, like the artist Lucian Freud at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Nevertheless, even the more modest Museum Card takes urban living to a whole new level!
mesenaatti.me – allowing you to work on your own terms
The concept of “work design” has been discussed and written about a lot over the past decade. One of the leading activists in this field is Mesenaatti, Finland’s first crowdfunding service that lets bands, writers, designers, ethical businesses and other entrepreneurs realise their dreams with the support of private funders. Just like with charity organisations and high-tech platforms, you can even become a monthly subscriber, which provides access to your favourite band’s newest song or idea before everyone else. It will be delicious to watch how Helsinki's blossoming fashion scene, for example, can channel its avant-garde creations to audiences through new channels: what innovations, applications and experiments could you enjoy as a monthly subscriber to the likes of local fashion label Nomen Nescio?