Architecture Walking Tour: Töölö

The neighborhood of Töölö is a fine entry point into town planning in the new nation after Finnish independence in 1917 and the emergence of Finnish modernism. The plans for Töölö evolved over a period of decades and increasingly took into account the emergence of Helsinki as a modern city with a need for housing and green space for residents in a dense urban fabric, efficient traffic routes, and public transport. In the buildings in this neighborhood we see facades enlivened with creative, skilled brickwork, restrained neo-classical ornamentation. The buildings themselves are simple volumes and share uniform building heights, which creates overall what historian Riitta Nikula calls a “harmonious townscape.”

Architecture walking tours series is written and hosted by Gayle McKeen. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Chicago and has taught at universities in the United States and the United Kingdom. 

Schedule

Saturday 8 July, 2023 | 1–3 pm
Language: English | Participation: free of charge 

Saturday 5 August, 2023 | 1–3 pm
Language: English | Participation: free of charge 

Participation

A total of 25 participants will be admitted to one architecture walking tour. Places are filled in the order of arrival. Please arrive in time before the start time of the tour – the tour starts at even hours.

Accessibility 

The tour starts
Museum of Natural History 
Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, 00100 Helsinki

The tour ends
Töölö Church
Topeliuksenkatu 4, 00260 Helsinki

The walking tour takes place in urban public space and lasts about 2 hours. The total length of the routes is about 1,5 kilometers. Along the route the surfaces are paved. There are non-beveled curbs and, in some places, uneven terrain with height differences. On the walking tours, the progression is calm and includes several stops. There are no easily accessible seats or benches along the route. You can bring your own camping chair. The nearest accessible public and gender-neutral toilet is located at the Museum of Natural History (Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu 13, 00100 Helsinki).

On the architecture walking tour we follow the principles for a safer space, to which we are committed to in all museum activities. You can find more information about the principles of a safer space in the Museum of Finnish Architecture at this link: https://www.mfa.fi/…/the-museum-of-finnish-architecture…/

For more information

Jemina Lindholm
Manager of Learning and Public Programmes
Museum of Finnish Architecture
+358 45 7731 0476
jemina.lindholm@mfa.fi