Kanavaranta 1 represents the incredible achievement of creating a large company headquarters that translates into a stimulating human-scale workspace.

Most recognized for its outside, it’s less known that the inside of the building is what makes this a complete Alvar Aalto experience. Every detail and all the furniture and light fittings have originally been designed by the architect and his team –
a wealth of those details still exists.

As anyone who has walked through this building can affirm, Aalto’s signature approach of using natural materials, warm earthy elements and organic shapes have an incredibly balancing and uplifting influence on people.

5th floor

Executive facilities, meeting rooms and open plan office

Particular attention to the details and flow of the space has been made in the design of the 5th floor – making it one of the most impressive floors of Kanavaranta 1.

The lounge areas and meeting rooms have rich textures, innovative use of materials and forms, and original bespoke furniture.

The 5th floor also contains contemporary open-plan office space, which connects to the 4th floor office areas via a central staircase.

1st Floor

Main lobby, conference center and auditorium

The entrance floor to Kanavaranta 1 has many fine features, including a conference center, open plan office and even auditorium.

This property has also an underground garage with 45 car parking spaces and an area for bicycles.

Kanavaranta 1 occupies an impressive seaside location in central Helsinki, observing from its elevated post the daily comings and goings of the city.

The site of the building is geographically an island, called Katajanokka, which roughly translates into a Juniper Cape. Its neighbors include the offices of the president of Finland, the czar era Uspenski Cathedral, the bustling historic market place as well as a busy international harbor.

Alvar Aalto (1898–1976)

World-renown pioneer of modern architecture, Alvar Aalto was above all a great humanist. The challenge he put to himself was not to create buildings and furniture that had beauty and artistic impact, but to design continuum of spaces from inside to outside that would make people feel better.

For this he drew his inspiration and information from nature: “The very essence of architecture consists of a variety and development reminiscent of natural organic life. This is the only true style in architecture.”