Name

Arppeanum, prime minister’s office

Description

Renovation

Client

Senate Properties

Year

2015

Size br-m²

4100

The Arppeanum property (Snellmaninkatu 3) was built by the University of Helsinki (then Imperial Alexander University) and designed in 1869 by architect Carl Albert Edelfelt. The façade is based on the 19th-century northern German circular arch style and features references to Venetian palace architecture.

The building originally housed a historical-ethnographic museum, with a Mineral Cabinet as well as chemistry laboratories and a lecture hall. Over time, the building has hosted several university departments and most recently the University Museum. In 2015, the building was transferred to the Senate. Its convenient location next to the Government Castle in the Ministry Quarter led to the decision to convert the building into Premises of the Prime Minister’s Office. At the same time, it was investigated how a modern multi-space work environment could be implemented in a historic building. The building is protected in the town plan and by Government decree.