ELANTO: Sörnäistenranta-Hermanninranta area

A closer look at some of the reused industrial buildings in the Sörnäistenranta-Hermanninranta area.

The clock tower fronting Hameentie, the building’s dominant façade

Elanto Bakery complex:
This complex of buildings was designed by architect Vaino Vahakallio who designed a number of the multistory brick industrial buildings in the Helsinki area in the first half of the 20th century. The complex was built to house the Elanto Coop in 1920 and was later expanded in the 1950s. The entire plot contained a large production bakery, head offices, and a prominent 10-story clock tower on the Hameentie façade. The complex dominated that area of the cityscape at the time. It was the largest bakery in Northern Europe in the mid 1900s.


Old photo of a salesroom
A view showing the many buildings incorporated in the complex
Exterior façade from the courtyard in the middle of the complex

Around 2000 Elanto no longer used the facilities and the building then became home to an arts school. The Finnish firm Brunow & Maunula designed the conversion of the Elanto complex. The various spaces that were essential to the production of bread were now converted into the variety of spaces needed for an art school -- housing dance studios, painting studios, printmaking studios, and administration offices.

Digital model made in designing the entrance and auditorium
The picture under this is of the construction of this space
Digital model depicting the footplates and new space of the conversion to an arts school
The courtyard
Main entrance to the dance school

Low rooms needed for dough raising and preparation were converted into offices and lounge spaces; dance studios are now the former baking rooms that contained high ceilings for the equipment. Though a major effort was made to maintain all the original spaces, new conditions required some alteration of the vertical spaces and evidence of preexisting floors can be seen on the walls at the entrance. Little was done to the exterior of the building. From the street the building looks as if it could still house the Elanto baking facilities except for the large number twenty year-olds dressed in black wandering about with a pack of cigarettes in one hand and a canvas in the other.

One of the dance studios
A new entrance made of a perforated copper screened gate, off of Lintulahdenkatu
Eastern view of the buildings
Façade from neighboring office building
Old photo of the building when it was still the Elanto bakery headquarters