Nokia Arena, Finland’s first multipurpose arena, completes

The Nokia Arena, Finland’s first multipurpose arena and the second building in a new mixed-use development, has completed in Tampere Finland. The LEED Gold project sits atop Tampere’s railway tracks in the heart of the city.

The 694,000-sf arena occupies one-fifth of the overall mixed-use complex and can accommodate 17,000 fans. A casino, bars, and a restaurant at the deck level help redefine the arena’s pivotal function as a hub for diverse urban activities. The curved building appears to be sloped bands of metal screens. Studio Libeskind created a varied palette of cladding to break up the massing of the large arena that is tucked into the urban-scaled development. A screen of anodized aluminum vertical slats in three neutral shades wraps the facade of the arena.

"The Nokia Arena creates a new landmark for Tampere with an iconic, yet contextual, design that evokes the spirit of the Finnish people," said architect Daniel Libeskind, in a release. "The arena serves as an anchor of the surrounding development and will create a vital connection within the city and the country with its proximity to the railway tracks, which previously separated this neighborhood from the city. The dynamic shape of the building has enhanced the bands of metal slat screens that wrap the building in spiral movements,"

When completed, the new mixed-use development will include a 273-room hotel and five mixed-use blocks topped by five residential towers.

The project is set to open on Dec. 15. In addition to Studio Libeskind, the build team also included SRV Rakennus Oy, and local partner ARCO Architecture Company / Aihio Arkkitehdit.