3. Main Foyer and Café

Now you've arrived at the Main Foyer, which serves as a living room and café for city dwellers during the day and a warming space for concert-goers in the evening. Outside you can see the Töölönlahti Park. You can also take a peek into the Concert Hall. Can you see where it is? The glass belt between the hall and the Main Foyer brings natural light into the hall. During concerts, the glass belt is usually covered by drop-down curtains.

Apart from the glass that creates openness and transparency, the facade of Musiikkitalo is made of pre-patinated copper, a common material on the roofs of many old buildings throughout Helsinki.

The concert hall stands out from the foyers as a large wooden element. The upholstery is made of dark stained Finnish birch. Finnish stone materials have also been used for the floors of the foyers: grey Kuru and black Korpilahti granite.

Musiikkitalo was designed by the LPR architectural office in Turku. An international architectural competition was held in 1999-2000. The winning proposal, "a mezza voce," aimed to create a cohesive and peaceful atmosphere in the Töölönlahti area. The building is anchored in the coordinates of its surroundings: the two sides of Musiikkitalo follow the lines of Finlandia Hall and the Parliament House. The copper façade of the highest part of the building, patinated in green, seeks a link not only to the older building stock but also to the green parkland. The open glass side of Musiikkitalo, which highlights the functions, connects the other side of the building to the newer building stock. The view from the steps of the Parliament House down to the park areas is open. The sloping park-like green roof of the low part of the building slopes down towards the south, giving way to the independent architecture of the opposite Kiasma.

Next, we head towards the Upper Foyer, located on the upper floor. Can you see the stairs in front of the café, near the glass wall facing the Central Library Oodi? Go up the stairs to the next floor. If you can't walk up the stairs, you can use the lift.