Steel, colours and suburbs – Helsinki Metro architecture in the 1980s and 90s
Welcome to a lecture by Architect Karita Rytivaara, who will delve into the history of Helsinki Metro architecture and design in the 1980s and 1990s. The lecture will be held in Finnish and entry to the event is free of charge.
The Helsinki Metro was officially opened in 1982, and its facilities have since become a seamless part of the everyday environment for residents of Helsinki. The arrival of the metro had a major impact on the identity of the city and its suburbs. In addition to expanding the transport system, the metro also generated public space, architecture and design, which were invested in heavily at the time. The quality of metro environments has changed in just over 40 years, with accelerated changes, particularly in metro stations in the 1980s and 90s. Despite their mundane nature, the station buildings, platforms, furniture, furnishings and carriages are the result of a great deal of quality design and thought.
In a Finnish-language lecture by Architect Karita Rytivaara, we will delve into the history of Helsinki Metro architecture and design in the 1980s and 1990s. We will also learn about Rytivaara’s 2025 Moderni metro (‘modern metro’) research and exhibition project, which was implemented at Herttoniemi metro station in the summer of 2025. During the lecture, we will learn about the original designers and explore the role of stations as part of the identity of the city and its neighbourhoods.
You can also watch the lecture on the City Museum YouTube channel. The event is part of The Unknown Suburb exhibition programme.
Photo: Karita Rytivaara
