Originally designed by Eliel Saarinen and completed in 1909, the State Railways administration building was converted into a hotel for the Scandic Hotels chain.
Scandic Grand Central Helsinki is one of the largest hotels in Finland. An extension, designed by Futudesign after winning the design competition in 2017, was added to the old part of the building. Arco was also responsible for the principal design of the extension.
The building is closely linked to the Helsinki railway station, and it is of great urban and cultural significance, having served as the headquarters of the railway administration for almost a century. The level of design was unusually demanding, and the building is protected by the Act on the Protection of the Built Heritage. Close cooperation with the Finnish Heritage Agency continued throughout the construction.
The hotel complex comprises almost 500 hotel rooms, of which around 10% are accessible. The rooms are in the administration building along protected corridors. Due to the old walls and protected corridor doors, the room sizes vary on each floor.
The breakfast, bar and restaurant areas can seat several hundred guests, as can the banqueting room, which can be divided into several different assembly rooms. Puroplan Oy was responsible for the interior design.
