Dance House Helsinki

Dance House Helsinki opened in February 2022. It is the first event and performance space dedicated to the dancing arts in Finland. Dance House Helsinki is located at the eastern end of the Cable Factory cultural centre with some of the facilities based within the former factory building. Externally, Dance House Helsinki certainly matches this industrial aesthetic, given its likeness with an enormous piece of machinery that has been added as an extension to the historic manufacturing facility. The Cable Factory’s vast and soaring Glass Courtyard serves as its entrance, foyer and social space. Dance House Helsinki offers an excellent setting for the dancing arts.

When Dance House Helsinki opened its doors in February 2022, the moment marked the conclusion of many decades of persistent effort. The venue is the first ever event and performance space dedicated to the dancing arts in Finland but, given the scarcity of similar purpose-built venues elsewhere, it is also unique internationally.

Dance House Helsinki has been built as an extension to the eastern end of the city’s Cable Factory cultural centre, with some of its facilities based within the former factory building itself. Designed by W G Palmqvist and built between 1939 and 1954, the Cable Factory remained for many years the largest building in Finland. To this day, it is the country’s largest cultural venue.

The Cable Factory’s vast and soaring Glass Courtyard, created by glazing in a section of the adjacent outdoor area, serves as Dance House Helsinki’s entrance and foyer. The Glass Courtyard is also a social space for the Cable Factory as a whole and additionally provides access to the museums that are based here.

Dance House Helsinki comprises two black box theatres complete with state-of-the-art performance equipment. The 700-seater Erkko Hall, situated in the newly built extension, has steep seating offering unimpeded views of an unelevated stage. The 235-seater Pannu Hall takes its name from the boiler that was once housed here. Its use as a theatre predates Dance House Helsinki. The venue also features offices, social and rehearsal spaces for performers and a restaurant complete with kitchen and dining area. 

Viewed from the outside, Dance House Helsinki gives the impression of an enormous piece of industrial machinery that has been added to the side of this historic manufacturing facility. In contrast with the Cable Factory’s brick facades, Dance House Helsinki is clad in metal throughout. Two of the elevations have been installed with suspended cladding, one featuring reflective and the other pre-rusted steel. The remaining elevations are covered with aluminium discs that come together to create a rhythmical visual pattern. The interiors have a pared-down, minimalist aesthetic, featuring untreated timber cast concrete surfaces, self-rusting steel and a colour scheme dominated by greys and blacks. Expanses of existing brick and concrete have been left visible as a reminder of the building’s industrial heritage.

Dance House Helsinki succeeds in offering an excellent setting for the dancing arts. The building in its entirety is the work of two architectural practices, JMKK Arkkitehdit and ILO Arkkitehdit.