City-Center
Encyclopedia
The City-Center was a plan to raze and rebuild the block between the central Helsinki
streets of Kaivokatu, Keskuskatu and Aleksanterinkatu
, creating a unified, modern appearance for the area. Originally drafted between 1958 and 1960 by Viljo Revell
, Heikki Castrén continued work on the plan after Revell's death in 1964. The fulfillment of the plan would have required the demolition of several old buildings that are today considered to be a vital part of Helsinki's heritage.
The only part of the plan that was implemented as planned is the 1967 office and shopping centre building right across the street from the Helsinki Central railway station
, popularly known as Makkaratalo, Finnish
for "sausage
house". The reason for this name is the decorative railing encircling the elevated parking lot
occupying the third floor of the building, which is said to resemble a sausage. The first occurrence of the name was in a caricature
drawn by the Finnish cartoonist
Kari Suomalainen
in Helsingin Sanomat
. In the cartoon, a man is buying food from a snack bar near the Makkaratalo. He points at the railing, and the snack bar vendor replies, "Well, I'm just a small-time businessman."
Today, the term City-Center refers to entire shopping complex consisting of the Makkaratalo, various older properties, and the pathways connecting them to the adjacent streets. However, the term is rarely used and unfamiliar even to most natives of Helsinki.
In 2000, the Finnish real estate company Sponda bought the City-Center and has extensively renovated it. The building is currently protected by Finland's National Board of Antiquities as part of the city's heritage. In a 2005 a decision was made to allow removing the car-ramps of the house, but not to allow removal of the "sausage", in the same decision the house was placed under protection.
The Helsingin kaupunginmuseo (Helsinki city Museum Bureau) also concluded in a written statement that:
However this view can not be considered widely prominent in Helsinki. It is commonly considered as an eyesore
. There has been several public statements about the ugliness of the building, considering its very central place. For instance the former leader of the National Board of Antiquities has stated that he considers the building an ugly error in judgement in city-planning and would not oppose its demolition.. Makkaratalo also topped a poll by Helsingin Sanomat in 2004 looking the ugliest building in Helsinki. Furthermore, it was also featured in a 2005 article-series in Helsingin Sanomat about the oddest construction plans in the era of rapid growth of the 60's.
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
streets of Kaivokatu, Keskuskatu and Aleksanterinkatu
Aleksanterinkatu
Aleksanterinkatu is a street in the centre of Helsinki, Finland. In the city plan by Carl Ludvig Engel, it was the Decumanus Maximus, the main east-west street in the city, crossing the Cardo, Unioninkatu at the corner of the Senate Square.The street begins near the Presidential Palace and...
, creating a unified, modern appearance for the area. Originally drafted between 1958 and 1960 by Viljo Revell
Viljo Revell
Viljo Revell was a Finnish architect of the functionalist school. Internationally Revell is best known for designing the Toronto City Hall....
, Heikki Castrén continued work on the plan after Revell's death in 1964. The fulfillment of the plan would have required the demolition of several old buildings that are today considered to be a vital part of Helsinki's heritage.
The only part of the plan that was implemented as planned is the 1967 office and shopping centre building right across the street from the Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station
Helsinki Central railway station is a widely recognised landmark in central Helsinki, Finland, and the focal point of public transport in the Greater Helsinki area. The station is used by approximately 200,000 passengers per day, making it Finland's most-visited building...
, popularly known as Makkaratalo, Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
for "sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
house". The reason for this name is the decorative railing encircling the elevated parking lot
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
occupying the third floor of the building, which is said to resemble a sausage. The first occurrence of the name was in a caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
drawn by the Finnish cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Kari Suomalainen
Kari Suomalainen
Kari Yrjänä Suomalainen was Finland's most famous political cartoonist. His first cartoon appeared in the start of the year 1950, showing an infant boy contemplating two toys: a tank and a dove carrying an olive branch. The boy is saying: "Tank.....
in Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat
Helsingin Sanomat is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. In 2008, its daily circulation was 412,421 on weekdays and 468,505 on Sundays...
. In the cartoon, a man is buying food from a snack bar near the Makkaratalo. He points at the railing, and the snack bar vendor replies, "Well, I'm just a small-time businessman."
Today, the term City-Center refers to entire shopping complex consisting of the Makkaratalo, various older properties, and the pathways connecting them to the adjacent streets. However, the term is rarely used and unfamiliar even to most natives of Helsinki.
In 2000, the Finnish real estate company Sponda bought the City-Center and has extensively renovated it. The building is currently protected by Finland's National Board of Antiquities as part of the city's heritage. In a 2005 a decision was made to allow removing the car-ramps of the house, but not to allow removal of the "sausage", in the same decision the house was placed under protection.
The Helsingin kaupunginmuseo (Helsinki city Museum Bureau) also concluded in a written statement that:
The Makkaratalo reflects the Finnish ideology of planning of the 60's, by virtues of the era such as the belief in the modern city of Helsinki that was preparing for a wider use of cars and aiming to be a mdoern metropol. It is also a prime example of Viljo Revell's production. In the view of the Helsinkian Makkaratalo presents the perspective of every day life. It has become a vital part of the Helsinki cityscape and a part of the collective memory of the Helsinkians.
However this view can not be considered widely prominent in Helsinki. It is commonly considered as an eyesore
Eyesore
An eyesore is an unpleasant view. Its technical usage is as an alternative perspective to the notion of landmark. Common examples include dilapidated buildings, graffiti, litter, polluted areas and excessive commercial signage such as billboards. Some eyesores may be a matter of opinion such as...
. There has been several public statements about the ugliness of the building, considering its very central place. For instance the former leader of the National Board of Antiquities has stated that he considers the building an ugly error in judgement in city-planning and would not oppose its demolition.. Makkaratalo also topped a poll by Helsingin Sanomat in 2004 looking the ugliest building in Helsinki. Furthermore, it was also featured in a 2005 article-series in Helsingin Sanomat about the oddest construction plans in the era of rapid growth of the 60's.