History

History of Suvilahti in a nutshell 

• 1907: decision taken to construct electrical power plant beside Suvilahti Bay in the Sörnäinen district of Helsinki.
• 14 July 1909: inauguration of power plant designed by architect Selim A. Lindqvist.
• 1910: gas plant begins operating.
• 1930's, 40's and 50's: expansions, extensions and new buildings.
• 1976: power plant operations discontinued at Suvilahti.
• Early 1980's: power plant converted to a warehouse and exercise facilities for employees of Helsinki Energy.
• 1980's: power plant first used for cultural projects, including KOM Theatre 1981–82 and a film studio.
• 1994: gas production discontinued.
• 2000’s: business activities and photography studios.
• March-October 2007: working group appointed by the Mayor of Helsinki to consider the area’s future. 31 October 2007: proposal to transfer administration to Kiinteistö Oy Kaapelitalo. The City of Helsinki decides that Suvilahti should focus on cultural activities and related business activities.
• 2007: urban music festival Flow Festival held at Suvilahti for the first time.
• 1 January 2008: Suvilahti transferred from Helsinki Energy to the City of Helsinki and Kiinteistö Oy Kaapelitalo.
• 2009: centenary of Suvilahti as an energy generation site celebrated and Helsinki’s first authorised graffiti wall opened. It receives the first Helsinki Cultural Deed award.
• 2009-2010: soil remediation work carried out. 1,411 truckloads of contaminated soil are removed. / Interior of Kojehuone (building 8) renovated for Cirko – Centre for New Circus.
• 2011: Tuska Open Air Metal Festival, the biggest heavy metal festival in the Nordic countries, is held at Suvilahti for the first time.
• 2013: Renovation of Voimalaitos (building 1) completed for Circus Helsinki.
• 2010-2014: Oranssi renovates Valvomo (building 11). / Renovation of Tiivistämö (building 5) completed.
• 2017: the City of Helsinki decides to renovate the brick and steel gasometers, enabling the transformation of the space for cultural use.
• 2019: the Events Unit of the City of Helsinki’s Youth Services moves to Tiivistämö (building 5).
• 2022: renovation of brick-built gasoholder completed.