Kulttuuritalo (Finnish: Kulttuuritalo, Swedish: Kulturhuset) is a building in Alppila, Helsinki, Finland. The building was designed by Alvar Aalto, and is considered to be one of his main works.
The building
The building combines a concert hall, an office building and a lecture-theatre block connecting the two. Uniting the whole, along the street frontage, is a 60-metre (200 ft) canopy.[1]
History
Kulttuuritalo was originally built for Finnish Communist cultural organizations. Aalto designed the building pro bono and was given complete artistic freedom; the construction work was done largely by volunteers. Work began in 1955, and the building was opened in 1958.
The building was owned by the Communist Party by a nonprofit foundation until the 1990, when the bankruptcy of the Finnish Communist Party forced its sale.
Today its owned by the government owned Senate Properties. The building is protected by a decision made by the Finnish Council of State in 1989.
Notable artists who have played at the venue[2] include:
- Duke Ellington in 1961, 1963,[3] and 1964
- Ella Fitzgerald in 1963, 1964, and 1965
- Jimi Hendrix in 1967
- Cream in 1967
- Led Zeppelin[4] in 1970
- Jethro Tull in 1970, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2022, and 2023
- Status Quo in 1973, 1974, 1996, and 2017
- Frank Zappa in 1974 (Three concerts in September 1974, portions of which were released on You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2 in 1988)
- Queen in 1974
- AC/DC in 1977
- Ramones in 1977 and 1990
- Tina Turner in 1982
- Metallica in 1984
- Hanoi Rocks in 1985
- Leonard Cohen in 1985
- Johnny Winter in 1987
- Iron Maiden in 1995
- Lady Gaga in 2009
- Stratovarius in 2010
- Helloween in 2010
References
- ^ "House of Culture Helsinki by Alvar Aalto". Galinsky.com. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Kulttuuritalo, Helsinki, Finland Concert Setlists | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
- ^ "Duke Ellington Helsinki 5 Feb. 1963". ELLINGTON GALAXY. 2023-08-28. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
- ^ "Led Zeppelin | Official Website Kulttuuritalo - February 23, 1970". Led Zeppelin | Official Website - Official Website. 2007-09-21. Retrieved 2024-05-03.
Further reading
- Karl Fleig, Alvar Aalto, (1974), ISBN 0-275-49660-0, p33. interior photo of auditorium, p32. exterior photo of entry canopy, p31.
- Peter Gossel and Gabrile Leuthauser, Architecture in the Twentieth Century, (1991), ISBN 3-8228-0550-5, exterior photo of wall, p243.
- Malcolm Quantrill, Alvar Aalto: A Critical Study, (1983), ISBN 0-8052-3845-X, exterior color photo of roof and brick detail, fig VIII.
External links
Media related to Helsinki Hall of Culture at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
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