Renovation begins at the School of Business’ old main building

Published: 26.4.2019

The iconic building in Töölö will be renewed and renamed.

The Assembly Hall is protected. Image: Aki-Pekka Sinikoski / Aalto University

After School of Business moved to Aalto University’s campus in Otaniemi, the renovation and modernization work at the building in Töölö can begin. With new life, the building will be named Aalto University Töölö.

‘It is important for us to maintain the spirit of the property while at the same time to create versatile facilities for future use. After the renovation is complete, the building will be a meeting place for Aalto University and its partners, and will house a high-quality restaurant serving the area,’ says Eetu Ristaniemi, Director of Real Estate Investments at Aalto University Campus and Real Estate.

New experiences, opportunities for collaboration and lifelong learning

Future Töölö is a vibrant meeting place for Aalto University and business life in the future, and a new home for leadership development. Aalto Töölö has one of the most beautiful halls in Finland, venues for different events and a unique working environment with a view over Töölö.

Micheal Schilkin's relief on the yellow brick façade. Image: Aki-Pekka Sinikoski / Aalto University

The main tenant at Aalto Töölö is Aalto University Executive Education (Aalto EE), which offers thought provoking executive education and development services globally to individuals and organizations.

‘The legacy of the School of Business continues in Töölö in a new form, as Aalto’s leadership development provides a new base for the historically significant building. We now have an excellent opportunity to think how we respond to the expectations of businesses and participants to continue to offer exceptional customer experience also beyond 2020,’ says Dr. Pekka Mattila, GMD of Aalto EE and Professor of Practice at Aalto University School of Business.

Renovation with respect to the building’s historic importance

The building, designed by Woldemar Baeckman and Hugo Harmia, was completed in 1950. The last major renovation, and extension of the stairwell, was completed in 1996. The renovation will begin in May 2019 and will be completed by the end of 2020.

The repair and renewal plan is based on negotiations with the Finnish Heritage Agency and reviews on-site, as the building belongs to the international register by Docomomo, which specialises on the conservation and documentation of modern architecture. The building's Assembly Hall is protected and no changes are made to the building's yellow façade, while the construction engineering of the building will be completely renovated. The renovation significantly improves the building's energy efficiency and accessibility.

Address of the building: Runeberginkatu 14-16, Helsinki
Builder: KOy Helsingin Runeberginkatu 14-16
Main contractor: Fira
Design: SARC Architects
Schedule of the renovation: May 2019 - October 2020

More information and interview requests
Noora Stapleton
Communications Specialist, Campus Communications
Aalto University, Communications Services
[email protected]
050 353 1525