Helsinki, Finland is rich in culture, strong in history, and mindful of community. The House of Culture, established as the headquarters for the Finnish Communist Party in 1955, designed by Alvar Aalto possess a strong tie to these characteristics. 

Alvar Aalto agreed to design the House of Culture during a hectic time of design, known well as his “brick period”. The House of Culture was designed as a cultural center, programmatically including a concert hall space for public events and office spaces to house the administrative staff of the political party.

The House of Culture was called for in the early 1950s, and design began in 1955, seeing completion in 1958. Until more recently, it served as Helsinki’s prime 2 concert venue space. The House of Culture is situated in a location that today, would be considered within easy access to the city-center of Helsinki, although during the time of construction and development, it was nestled nearby the industrial zone. As it was designed as the headquarters for the Finnish Communist Party and constructed heavily from volunteer hours, the placement fell in line with the ideals that the space was meant for multi-purpose functionality and for the community. By the 1990s, the communist party had gone bankrupt and the site has been in ownership by the Finnish State since.