Helsinki honors Tom of Finland in new plans

Rebecca Svedberg writes in the Finnish Broadcasting Company’s publication about a new district in Helsinki with a beach, rooftop terraces and a lively nightlife and how the decade-long vision becomes a reality.

In southern Helsinki, on the eastern shore of Ärtholmen, a brand new beach park is being planned. “We have strived to activate the entire shoreline. The hope is to create an area where you really have access to the water, where you can get in and out of the sea,” says Jari Huhtaniemi, lead architect at the City of Helsinki.

The area will provide space for approximately 7,100 new residents and 3,000 jobs. The city wants to build diverse and original residential neighborhoods that encourage togetherness. Culturally and historically important buildings will be preserved along with modern landmarks.

The new detailed plan allows for the construction of a new landmark. Here is the city’s vision of what a Tom of Finland Musuem would look like.

The vision is to build a new museum that can become a landmark for the entire Ärtholmen.

When asked which detail of the entire plan Jari Huhtaniemi is most proud of, he said:

If I had to choose just one thing, it would be Touko Laaksonen’s area. The fact that the southernmost tip of Helsinki has a square named after him honors his fight as Tom of Finland for human rights and says something about the city’s openness. It shows that we plan for everyone.

According to preliminary estimates, construction of Ärtholmen could begin in 2028.

In September 2025, the proposal was approved by the city board and then the city council made the final decision. 

Published: 22nd October 2025

Categorised in: News