Architect
Futudesign
Completion
2022
Gross area
12800 m²
Category
Office buildings
Tags
office renovation

Renovated and remodelled many times over, Mikonkatu 7 has one of the most complex building histories in Helsinki. The latest renovation borrows heavily from the past yet interprets the themes through the means of contemporary architecture. Originally designed by Selim A. Lindqvist, the building has seen significant transformations. In 1927, architect Runar Finnilä added two storeys and redesigned the facades with classical elements. In 1940, architect Gösta Juslén remodeled the ground floor for the Renlund hardware store, introducing glass and advertising frontages and removing the corner tower. After air raid damage in 1944, architect Erkki Huttunen added another storey.

Between 1981 and 1987, Toivo Korhonen’s renovation incorporated elements from earlier construction phases, restoring features such as the angular shop windows and a reimagined corner tower. The design blended original themes with modern interpretations, resulting in a protected status in the detailed plan. The corner entrance and tower were inspired by Lindqvist’s architecture, with the tower’s curved forms reinterpreted using contemporary design techniques.

The building now includes a restructured main entrance, improved vertical circulation with a lift, and a spacious atrium on the first and second floors, featuring a restaurant, meeting rooms, and event spaces. The atrium’s design evokes a covered outdoor space, with amphitheater-like seating enhancing its functionality. The ground floor remains commercial, while the office floors feature modular, reusable partition systems for adaptability.

On the top floor, floor-to-ceiling windows provide views of neighboring facades, and a landscaped roof terrace is available for tenants. The circular skylight in the atrium adds to the building’s appeal, combining historical references with contemporary practicality.

Source: Summary of Kristo Vesikansa’s review in Finnish Architectural Review 5/2022

Location

Mikonkatu 7, Helsinki
60.169458, 24.9463128

Images

Building exterior, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
Building exterior, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© ©2022 Tuomas Uusheimo: www.uush)
Top floor view., Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
Top floor view., Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© ©2022 Tuomas Uusheimo: www.uush)
Auditorium, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
Auditorium, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© ©2022 Tuomas Uusheimo: www.uush)
Stairwell, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
Stairwell, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© ©2022 Tuomas Uusheimo: www.uush)
Meeting room, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
Meeting room, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© ©2022 Tuomas Uusheimo: www.uush)
First floor, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
First floor, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© Futudesign)
Second floor, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
Second floor, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© Futudesign)
Third floor, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
Third floor, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© Futudesign)
Sixth floor, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
Sixth floor, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© Futudesign)
Section, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building
Section, Mikonkatu 7 Office Building (© Futudesign)

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