Cultural Centre Sofia is located in Vuosaari, Helsinki, on the Kallahden peninsula. The area is characterized by its cultural-historical and landscape values, with a building stock dating from the 1950s to the 1980s. The site includes buildings owned by the Foundation for the Finnish Orthodox Cultural Centre, some of which carry the sr-2 protection status. The main building subject to the alteration project, dating from the 1980s, is not protected.
The building was formerly known as the Osuuspankki Training Institute, and its architecture reflects the rational design language of its era, characterized by brick floors, timber elements and modular interior spaces. Today, it houses the Sofia Cultural Centre and Conference Hotel, which hosts seminars, art events and icon painting courses.
The aim of the renovation was to optimize the use of the east wing and to meet the growing need for accommodation capacity. The project involved converting office and group work spaces on the first and second floors into hotel rooms, resulting in a total of 25 new guest rooms.
At the same time, the ventilation systems were comprehensively upgraded. Storage and recreation spaces in the basement were converted into group work and exhibition areas, supporting the centre’s diverse cultural activities.
Our office served as the principal designer for the project. Building and specialist design was provided by Korjauspartnerit Oy. Key design principles included preserving the character of the original architecture and modernizing the technical systems, while keeping exterior alterations to a minimum.
