The renowned Aedes Architecture Forum in Berlin is presenting a comprehensive exhibition showcasing the groundbreaking urban development work of Finnish architectural firm Helin & Co in Helsinki. Running from September 6 to October 15, 2025, the exhibition titled "Heart and Horizon" explores how the firm has fundamentally shaped Finland's capital city over the past two decades through innovative architectural approaches that balance human-scale design with expansive urban waterfront development.
The exhibition's title reflects Helin & Co's distinctive design philosophy, combining "Heart" - representing their focus on human-scale architecture - with "Horizon" - symbolizing their engagement with urban spaces along Helsinki's extensive waterfront. This approach has been instrumental in transforming Helsinki into a modern metropolis while maintaining its unique character as a city intimately connected to water and the sea.
Three major projects form the centerpiece of the exhibition, each demonstrating Helin & Co's role in Helsinki's urban transformation. The Kamppi Centre stands as a revolutionary networked urban quarter that seamlessly integrates mobility hubs with cultural facilities and residential areas in central Helsinki. The Kalasatama Centre represents a bold new district built on the former harbor site, successfully combining high urban density with spectacular sea views. The third featured project, the Sello District Centre in Espoo, showcases a multifunctional complex that brings together a library, music school, and concert hall in one cohesive design.
Helsinki's unique urban development story sets it apart from many European cities, as noted in the exhibition's introductory materials. Unlike cities with medieval or religious origins, Helsinki was strategically founded as a capital in a crucial geopolitical location between East and West, shaped by political decisions first by Swedish kings and later by Russian tsars. The city's relationship with water - including access to the open sea, the Vantaa River, and surrounding islands and peninsulas - has been the driving force behind its urban evolution throughout history.
The exhibition emphasizes how Helsinki's transformation into a modern metropolis, now part of a polycentric region including Espoo, Vantaa, and Kauniainen, is particularly evident in the successful reintegration of water into urban life. Within this framework, Helin & Co's architectural approach is presented as a method that creates meaningful places for people while opening new perspectives for the entire city.
Founded in 1999 by architect Pekka Helin, Helin & Co has built a reputation focusing on human scale, sustainability, and contextual sensitivity. The firm's diverse portfolio spans urban master plans and redevelopment projects, retail and multifunctional complexes, transportation and cultural buildings, renovations, private homes, and even furniture design. The Berlin showcase illustrates how the firm's projects successfully weave together living, working, and cultural elements to create an open, maritime urban experience.
The Kamppi Centre, located in central Helsinki, represents a masterpiece of multi-level urban planning. The project connects various levels of public space, including underground bus and metro stations, parking facilities, retail spaces, offices, and apartments. It seamlessly links with existing cultural landmarks such as the Parliament building and incorporates award-winning additions including the Parliament annex and the UPM headquarters.
The Kalasatama Centre showcases innovative high-rise development on the former harbor site at the waterfront. This mixed-use development combines high-rise buildings with public spaces and leisure areas, demonstrating how attractive urban density can be achieved while countering suburban sprawl and land consumption. The project serves as a model for sustainable urban densification in waterfront locations.
The Sello District Centre in Espoo functions as a multifunctional hub that brilliantly combines cultural facilities including a library, music school, and concert hall with a comprehensive range of services. Strategically positioned at a central transport interchange in the metropolitan region, it exemplifies how architecture can serve as a catalyst for regional connectivity and cultural life.
The exhibition occupies two dedicated rooms at the Aedes Architecture Forum, each serving a specific purpose in telling the story of Helin & Co's impact on Helsinki. The first room presents the three key projects - Kamppi, Kalasatama, and Sello - through an immersive display of photographs, architectural plans, and detailed models. The second room features a broader selection of the firm's work, ranging from residential buildings to a metro station, effectively tracing the office's trajectory and evolution over more than two decades.
Visitors can experience cinematic drone footage that provides unique insights into how these projects relate to their surrounding environments and the broader urban fabric of Helsinki. A dedicated reading area offers publications documenting the firm's work, complemented by chairs designed by Pekka Helin himself, creating an intimate space for deeper exploration of the firm's philosophy and methodology.
The exhibition highlights three key aspects that have earned Helin & Co international recognition: their emphasis on flexibility in design solutions, their ability to create strong urban spaces that serve multiple functions, and their success in achieving global acclaim while remaining deeply rooted in Finnish architectural traditions and environmental sensitivity. These projects demonstrate how thoughtful architecture can address contemporary urban challenges while respecting historical context and natural settings.
