Open House Helsinki opens the city – from high-rises to waterfront plots and hidden courtyards

Once a year, the much-loved urban festival Open House Helsinki opens doors to places not usually accessed. This September, in collaboration with Helsinki Design Week, the event allows visitors access to fourteen fascinating sites under the theme of “horizon”.

Since 2007, Open House Helsinki has continued its tradition of opening up buildings, blocks, neighbourhoods – and this year especially, the archipelago. Helsinki’s shoreline stretches over 130 kilometres, running from the thickets of Sipoo’s border through the rocky shores of Eastern Helsinki to the urban waterfronts of the city centre.

This year’s programme focuses on coastal areas, where layers from different eras complement one another. Among the sites opening their doors are the Aino Ackté Villa in Laajasalo, the Atlas high-rise in Vuosaari, and the functionalist terminal building at Malmi Airport. The main HDW venue, Suomitalo, is also included. In addition, guided walking tours will shed light on perspectives of architecture and urban planning, taking visitors, for example, to the inner courtyards of Rööperi (the Punavuori area) and Kalasatama.

A horizon always also points to the future. How is Helsinki developing? What will its new districts look like? What kind of perspectives on the city do the new tall towers offer? And what about the new waterfront buildings and blocks?

Open House Helsinki takes place from 11–14 September 2025. Participation in the tours requires advance registration, which can be done here.