Pikku-Finlandia: Helsinki's new building held up by trees

Pikku-Finlandia (or Little Finlandia) is a temporary venue hosting large events in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, while the city’s iconic Finlandia Hall is closed for refurbishment.

It’s a reusable wooden building that includes whole trees with protruding branches as part of the structure. Fully recyclable and transportable, it will be packed up and taken to a new location to be used as a school or a nursery in 2024.

Pikku-Finlandia was designed by architecture students, one of whom - Jaakko Torvinen - has given us a tour of the building.

Video by Erika Benke

You can hear more stories about Finland's creative scene and the country's current tension with Russia in The Arts Hour on Tour in Helsinki on BBC Sounds.

10 July 2022