Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Helsinki

March 20, 2021

Completed in 1952, the Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Helsinki is a landmark of the functionalist era thanks to the renovation by Fyra that updated the hotel venues but at the same time, preserved the atmosphere of the 50s respecting the original design.


During the decades, the building was both repaired and renovated, so the key function was to visually unify the different parts of the building. In the process, lobby areas, rooms, flo or corridors as well as the 10th floor restaurant were renewed. As the building is partially protected, the Helsinki City Museum was included as a partner in the project.


During the process, the former 5th floor of the Sokos department store was transformed to new hotel rooms. In the renovation of the hotel, as much as possible of the original was kept – for example doors and brass numbering were preserved and refurbished and the old armchairs were re-upholstered. Unity was also created by bringing similar bird reliefs to the rooms as in the lobby areas. The lobby reception desk was renovated and at the same time the original furniture and lamps were refurbished.



The 10th floor restaurant hall is a partially protected site with many culturally and historically valuable elements such as the original chandeliers designed by Paavo Tynell. As the key factor of the restaurant is the view over the center of Helsinki, the obstructions in front of the view were removed to open the landscape even more, and the terrace was completely renovated. The restaurant is designed to operate from morning to night by modifying the lighting and different types of furniture.



Address  Asema-aukio 2, 00100 - Helsinki, Finland  www.sokoshotels.fi/fi/helsinki/sokos-hotel-vaakuna
Photography  Riikka Kantinkoski
Interior Design  Fyra  www.fyra.fi

SHARE THIS

 Contribute

G&G _ Magazine is always looking for the creative talents of stylists, designers, photographers and writers from around the globe.

WRITE US

 Find us on

Latest News

MEGA HALAL Bangkok 2026 Opening Next Month: A Scaling Global Hub for Asian Halal Innovation and International Trade Opportunities

By G&G _ Magazine • June 30, 2026
As global demand for halal products reaches unprecedented levels, the highly anticipated MEGA HALAL Bangkok, alongside with the concurrent MEGA SHOW Bangkok, this July establishes Thailand as the definitive trade capital of ASEAN, providing a truly international sourcing and networking marketplace for the global halal industry. 

Masía Gallery: A Tribute to Heritage and Cult Retail

By G&G _ Magazine • June 29, 2026
 Interior architecture studio El Departamento has completed the design of the new Nude Project’s flagship store on Boters Street in Barcelona.

Hospitality Design Trends 2026

By G&G _ Magazine • June 29, 2026
Building on What's Already There As this year's LIV Hospitality Design Awards winners settle into the wider conversation, certain patterns become difficult to ignore. Properties built for warm-climate escape recur across the list. Sustainability surfaces less as a stated goal than as a working method. And several of the strongest projects are renovations rather than new builds. Read together, the winners point toward where hospitality design is heading as the year continues. Designed for the Season Several of this year's winners speak directly to the season ahead. Kona Village , on Hawaii's Big Island, reimagines an 81-acre resort around the history of Kaupulehu, led by Greg Warner and Mike McCabe of Walker Warner. The rebuilt property includes 150 traditional guest hale, a new spa, and five restaurants and bars—two of which carry over from the original resort. Rather than a wholesale reinvention, the project reads as a continuation: a property rebuilt around what made the original site significant in the first place.

Contemporary Film-Inspired Residence

By G&G _ Magazine • June 29, 2026
One Desk designed the interiors of a house in Hornówek, near Warsaw, for a couple working in the film and television industry, together with their four-legged family members. The project reflects a cinematic sensibility translated into residential design, combining functional elegance, warm atmospheres, and bespoke details that respond to the creative lifestyle of its inhabitants.

The dates are set: Interior Lifestyle China 2026 to drive brand growth with integrated marketing ecosystem

By G&G _ Magazine • June 26, 2026
The leading trade platform for the lifestyle industry Interior Lifestyle China will return to the Shanghai Exhibition Centre from 8 to 10 October 2026, presenting a curated selection of global products and new designs.

Norwegian Heritage Reimagined Through Design

By G&G _ Magazine • June 26, 2026
On Norway’s western coastline, where fjords, trade routes, and ancestral narratives have shaped generations, GCR Design AS / Gunvor C Røkholt approaches interior architecture as cultural stewardship. Recognized by Luxury Lifestyle Awards with the title of Best Contemporary Residential Interior Design in Norway for Project KYN , the studio’s work reflects a disciplined commitment to preserving heritage through active, contemporary use.
MORE

 Subscribe

Keep up to date with the latest trends!

Receive a dose of inspiration directly into your mailbox!

 Popular Posts

Timeless Elegance: Only YOU Boutique Hotel Madrid

By G&G _ Magazine • July 1, 2026
Located in the heart of Las Salesas, one of Madrid’s most sophisticated and creative districts, Only YOU Boutique Hotel Madrid embodies a refined vision of contemporary urban luxury.

Hospitality Design Trends 2026

By G&G _ Magazine • June 29, 2026
Building on What's Already There As this year's LIV Hospitality Design Awards winners settle into the wider conversation, certain patterns become difficult to ignore. Properties built for warm-climate escape recur across the list. Sustainability surfaces less as a stated goal than as a working method. And several of the strongest projects are renovations rather than new builds. Read together, the winners point toward where hospitality design is heading as the year continues. Designed for the Season Several of this year's winners speak directly to the season ahead. Kona Village , on Hawaii's Big Island, reimagines an 81-acre resort around the history of Kaupulehu, led by Greg Warner and Mike McCabe of Walker Warner. The rebuilt property includes 150 traditional guest hale, a new spa, and five restaurants and bars—two of which carry over from the original resort. Rather than a wholesale reinvention, the project reads as a continuation: a property rebuilt around what made the original site significant in the first place.

Hands & Horizons: the Best 21 Artisans debuted at Maison&Objet

By G&G _ Magazine • September 11, 2025
At M&O September 2025 edition, countless brands and design talents unveiled extraordinary innovations. Yet, among the many remarkable presences, some stood out in a truly distinctive way. G&G _ Magazine is proud to present a curated selection of 21 Outstanding Professionals who are redefining the meaning of Craftsmanship in their own unique manner, blending tradition with contemporary visions and eco-conscious approaches.