Project Review

A Stadium and a Place

With the new stadium carefully adapted to its surroundings, a quiet corner of Tammela has become a vibrant part of the city district.

Project Review

Vision and Form

Kotka’s new events centre is ALA Architects’ latest take on the theme of a sculptural main facade.

Editorial

Open the Box!

The Finnish Architectural Review has followed theatre construction since the early years of our publication, writes Kristo Vesikansa. Instead of the generic facilities provided by the black box, many of today’s theatre-makers are intrigued by staging performances in other existing spaces, which then become an integral element of the dramatic piece itself.

Article

Arenas of Urban Development

Helsinki, Turku and Oulu are planning to build event arenas in central locations. In Tampere, an arena built above the railway has been in use for a good two years. What kind of cityscape is being constructed along these megaprojects?

Article

A Key to Modern Architecture

In the 1970s, architect Pentti Piha was involved in developing and bringing to Finland the so-called black box stage, which performing artists are nowadays critical of. Through this critique, we can reevaluate the legacy of modernist architecture even more broadly.

Article

Optical Vacuum

For decades, the theatre space has remained in the background in the mainstream cinematic experience. Different kinds of experiences are available at film festivals.

Essay

Dramaturgy of Building and Ruin

If one examines an office building or shopping centre through the means of performing arts, what do they reveal about themselves, about architecture – and about the act of performing?

Article

The People’s Theatre

In the 1930s, P.E. Blomstedt designed a theatre in Hakaniemi, Helsinki. Reading between the lines of an illustration drawing reveals the world view behind the design and the designer.