Lasipalatsi (Glass Palace), Helsinki

The Glass Palace (Lasipalatsi) is a notable functionalist office building located in the heart of Helsinki's Kamppi district, along the busy Mannerheimintie. Designed by Viljo Revell, Heimo Riihimäki, and Niilo Kokko in the 1930s, it rose from the remains of the Turku barracks, which were destroyed during the Finnish Civil War in 1918. Initially constructed in 1936 as a temporary solution, Lasipalatsi was meant to serve until a more elaborate office building could be built.

During its prime, the Glass Palace was a bustling center, housing offices, restaurants, and the large film theater Bio Rex, making it a premier location for Finnish film premieres and a cultural hotspot. It hosted prominent businesses like Varuboden Grocery, Oy Siemens AB, and the popular HOK ice cream bar, attracting visitors for both business and leisure.

Today, the Glass Palace is renowned not only as a bustling hub for cafes and media companies but also as a venue for internet services, exhibition halls, and the showcasing of non-mainstream cultural films through Bio Rex. Its recognition by Docomomo International as one of Finland's architectural masterpieces of modernism underscores its historical and cultural importance.

The story of the Glass Palace took another turn with the establishment of Amos Rex, a contemporary museum that extends beneath the Lasipalatsi square and into the building itself, marking a new phase in its legacy. Through extensive renovations initiated in October 2016, the Glass Palace has been reimagined and preserved as a testament to Finnish architectural innovation and as a symbol of cultural vitality in Helsinki.