Expansion work at the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre is progressing on schedule. The seventh hall currently under construction has now reached roof height. At the same time, new floors are being added to the multistorey car park; this work will be finished by the end of the year.
The new hall began to take shape during the summer and early autumn. Impressive and of high-quality, Hall 7 represents a new kind of architecture. The building’s arched shape and its large, 1,200m2 wall of windows give it a modern flavour. A special characteristic of the new hall is that there are no disturbing pillars, thanks to the ceiling’s lattice steel structure. This makes the space suitable for a variety of uses. The surface area of the new hall covers 15,000 m2 and its inner measurements are 160 m x 85 m.
Final completion of Hall 7 will be ready in August 2011, when the hall is taken into use. The first phase of the car park’s construction was completed in September, with the rest of the new parking places to be taken into use by the end of the year. Current investments total 42 million euros.
A development plan has been created for the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre, extending until 2025. The city plan also allows for future expansion of the congress wing, an expansion of the hotel, improvement of the northern entrance, and the construction of the Trade Mart building for long-term exhibition facilities.
