Major Olympic Stadium renovation "unavoidable”

National Board of Antiquities shows green light to a complete overhaul of the iconic sports arena. Modernisation of the functionalist structure will cost EUR 242 million.

print this

The complete overhaul project of Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium is currently sailing in a strong tailwind.
      Yesterday the Stadium Foundation presented the results of its requirements analysis for the modernisation of the building, which will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year.
      According to the presented plan, the salvaging of the venue of the 1952 Summer Olympics will come with a hefty price-tag of EUR 242 million.
      The cost of the project would be shared fifty-fifty between the state and the City of Helsinki.
      The government’s portion of the funding would come from lottery funds.
     
The modernisation project of the Olympic Stadium has strong political backing.
      The undertaking has been listed in Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen’s government programme. Helsinki Mayor Jussi Pajunen has also expressed his support for the renovation project, which will be ultimately decided by the city council.
      “We have all the plans in place. All we need now is the political decisions”, stated Harri Syväsalmi from the Ministry of Education and Culture, tossing the ball into the Helsinki City Council’s court.
     
All the previous renovations of the iconic structure have been carefully monitored by the National Board of Antiquities, for the Helsinki Olympic Stadium is one of the most important functionalist style buildings in the world.
      Chief Intendant Mikko Härö promises already now that the Board of Antiquities will not pull the plug on the renewal of the sporting shrine.
      “Inevitably the Stadium has to be renovated and we do not plan to delay it.”
      According to Härö, with many objects discussions have to be held on the way the renovation is carried out, but the National Board of Antiquities does not exist simply to prevent buildings from being fixed up.
      “The roof built for the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Athletics is striking and of high quality. If the roofing of the stadium is carried out in the same manner it will unify the entire structure”, Härö considers.
      The wooden benches, too, can be replaced so long as this is done in the spirit of the Olympic Stadium. So, orange plastic is out of the question, but for example wood as a seating material would be acceptable.
      “The keywords are quality and visuality. If I remember correctly, the Ratina Stadium in Tampere has red bucket seats and there they work well”, Härö adds.
      In a polemic touch, Härö observes that he is pretty certain the people would prefer a renewed Olympic Stadium to a Guggenheim museum.
     
According to the Stadium Foundation’s project plan, the Olympic Stadium will receive a complete overhaul. In addition to covering the audience areas and renewing the seats, all the internal spaces will also be refurbished.
      In the new structure there will be no cold spaces, which means that for example all the toilets will be operational also in the winter.
      New underground locker rooms will be provided for the athletes. The same hall will also house the storage and technical facilities that are currently situated in the north curve. The space freed there will be filled with restaurants.
      “Instead of the current 500 there will be no less than 4,000 square metres reserved for restaurant services. For example the present dressing room of the national team will house a restaurant in the future”, says chief planning officer, architect Kimmo Lintula from K2S Architects.
      The hall under the east stand will be transformed into a multi-purpose space that can be utilised during public events.
     
The Stadium Youth Hostel will be transformed into offices for the Finnish Sports Federation and some of its subsidiary associations.
      The renovation project is scheduled to start no later than 2014.
      The work should be completed in time for the 100th independence anniversary of Finland, towards the end of 2017.
      If the renovation is not carried out now, the entire Olympic Stadium will have to close its doors in five to ten years’ time, as it is in a bad state of disrepair already.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  At least EUR 200 million required for much-needed complete overhaul of Helsinki Olympic Stadium (13.1.2012)

Links:
  Helsinki Olympic Stadium (Wikipedia)

Helsingin Sanomat