On Wednesday evening, the Helsinki City Council approved the plan by a wide margin. Opponents had argued that the bold all-wooden structure is too expensive and could wither away small neighbourhood libraries.
Councillors voted 75-8 to launch the project now. A delay could have meant losing a state offer to kick in nearly one third of the cost, 30 million out of the total 98 million euros. The city has preliminarily reserved 66 million euros for the project.
Non-commercial space needed
The building, near the Music Centre and Kiasma Art Museum in the Töölönlahti district, is to become the flagship of Finland’s library system. Ground-breaking could take place this autumn with the opening ceremony sometime in late 2018. The state support will come out of a special fund for major projects linked to the centenary of Finnish independence in 2017.
Newly-appointed deputy mayor Anni Sinnemäki of the Green League said there is a need for more non-commercial space in the heart of Helsinki. She also noted that so far the city’s libraries encompass less space per capita than the average municipality.
Movie theatre, cafés – and a sauna?
There are also hopes that the building will be a showcase for Finnish wooden architecture and a landmark for visitors to the city. The architectural firm ALA won the design competition in mid-2013.
Most of the opponents were from the populist Finns Party, who called the project too lavish. Under the current plan, the library will include a cinema, restaurant, cafés, meeting rooms and a hotly-debated public sauna.
