Venue

Our beautiful conference venue is located on the eastern bank of Eläintarhanlahti bay, near Hakaniemi Square. The congress centre has excellent transport connections, and plenty of services and dining opportunities are nearby. Many of the hotels in the heart of the city are just a short walk away.

Venue address: Paasivuorenkatu 5 A, 00530 Helsinki

See map of the local area.

Getting There

We recommend travelling to the conference venue by public transport. Hakaniemi is served by several bus routes, trams and the metro.

• Trams 3, 6 and 9 run from Helsinki Central Railway Station to Hakaniemi.
• Trams 1 and 7B run from Senate Square in the city centre to Hakaniemi.
• All eastbound and northbound buses from Rautatientori square (the square next to the Central Railway Station, by the National Theatre) stop at Hakaniemi, e.g. 62, 67, 68, 71, 75, 77.
• Metro: Exit at the Hakaniemi station (two stops from the railroad station).

Check your route from the HSL Journey Planner or by using a mobile app.

Parking

If arriving by car, you will find parking spaces with parking meters and car parks nearby (see map of the local area). Parking fees (€2/hour in Zone 2) can be paid by coin, in-car parking meter or mobile phone, and in some places also by credit card. Parking time is often restricted so please check the signs.

More information: Parking in Helsinki

Accessibility

Arriving at the venue

• Access to the congress centre for disabled visitors is via the inner courtyard, and the entrance is between the main entrance to the conference centre (Paasivuorenkatu 5 A) and Hotel Scandic Paasi (5 B). If assistance is needed, the venue staff will be happy to help (Conference Services, tel. +358 (0)9 7089 613).

Conference rooms

• The conference rooms in Paasitorni are accessible to all visitors.
• Disabled speakers, panellists and other presenters can easily access the Congress Hall stage using a wheelchair lift (max 225 kg). In Siltasaari Hall, access to the stage is by means of a ramp.

Lifts

• The building has two lifts:
  • Lift 1 runs between floor 1 (lobby), floor 2 (Restaurant Paasi), and floors 3, 4, 5 and 6.
  • Lift 2 runs between floor 0 (Sirkus Hall), floor 1 (lobby) and floors 1½, 2½ (Congress Hall) and 3½.
  • To move from Restaurant Paasi to the Congress Hall, for example, you will need to take lift 1 to the vestibule and then take lift 2 to floor 2½.

Toilets

Paasitorni has disabled toilets on floor 0 (Sirkus Hall), floor 2½ (Congress Hall) and floor 3.

Services for other groups with special needs

• Induction loops are installed in the Congress Hall. For other meeting rooms, they are available on request.
• Visitors who require a special diet will receive a full meal and other catering if booked in advance (see Registration, liber2016@tavicon.fi).

WiFi at the Venue

The WiFi connection can be accessed throughout the venue.

Architecture and History

The Late Art Nouveau building originally served as the Helsinki Workers’ House in 1908, providing leisure activities, entertainment and education for the workers of Helsinki. The facade, main staircase and the Congress Hall were decorated with images of tools and symbols to highlight the skills of the craftsmen. The building was designed by architect Karl Lindahl. The granite facade was built with stone carved from the bedrock at the building site. Some stone was set aside at the farsighted suggestion of the original workmen and was used for the extension completed in 1925. During the Finnish Civil War in 1918, the building came under heavy fire. The tower and Congress Hall had to be completely rebuilt as a result.

The building has been tastefully restored with respect to its historic past and the original architectural plans. The conference rooms in the older part of the building have been renamed after influential people in Paasitorni’s history.

See more on Paasitorni’s website.