What's going on

Even after the opening, Oodi has continued to be busy.

The Helsinki Central Library Oodi, which is to be opened in December 2018, is an open meeting place at Kansalaistori, right in the heart of Helsinki. Oodi will receive the international visibility it deserves as it is presented at the Venice International Architecture Exhibition for six months, starting on 26 May.

Helsinki City Library held an open competition in October 2016 on the name of the Central Library under construction in the Töölönlahti area of Helsinki. The competition received 2,600 proposals, and 1,600 of them were different names. The winning proposal selected by the jury is “Oodi”.

The construction of the Helsinki Central Library starts today, when the bucket of the excavator breaks the asphalt of the construction site for the first time. The construction will go on for almost three years.

The City Council confirmed the construction of the Central Library in its meeting on 28 January.
Helsinki Library Director Tuula Haavisto celebrates the decision.
- Finland's 100th anniversary in 2018 will be marked by this very special event! There are not many countries where the library would be a more fitting symbol of independence and 100 years of existence.