Pala beibi pala, disco inferno!

May 5, 2006 3:47 PM

Downtown Helsinki seemed semiapocalyptic tonight while a set of warehouses near city-center burned to the ground. The buildings were previously owned by the State Railway, and (as Wikipedia tells) recently had become an unofficial cultural center hosting BDSM conventions and heavy metal festivals. The buildings were previously scheduled for destruction on Monday to make way for a new music hall, but it looks like the demolition happened early. Fire trucks had visited the scene earlier this week when it was last set on fire during a May Day eve protest-- or was that drunken revelry? Strangely, this wasn't considered significant enough for the police to worry about it. More photos.
posted by taursir (15 comments total)

The photographer from the first link, Petteri Sulonen, is an amateur photographer who's well-known on Flickr, the DPReview forums, and other online photographic communities. He also has some occasionally provoking essays about photography on his site.
posted by DaShiv at 4:00 PM on May 5, 2006

Wow.
Is it wrong that, when I saw the photo in the first link the first thing I thought was "that'd make a great tshirt" ?
Those photos are beautiful and terrible.
posted by lekvar at 4:00 PM on May 5, 2006

Nice photos.

Anyone playing 'sink'?
posted by Smedleyman at 4:18 PM on May 5, 2006

Oh goodness -- beautiful photos.

Helsinki is one of the coolest and most underappreciated cities in the world (except by Finns, of course). I loved my time there.
posted by digaman at 5:11 PM on May 5, 2006

Was in Helsinki a year ago - I agree with digiman - great place.
posted by parki at 6:24 PM on May 5, 2006

Those are amazing shots. Fire is so beautiful, in its destructive way.
posted by blacklite at 6:34 PM on May 5, 2006

Does anybody have any links to photos of these warehouses from before they burned to the ground? I'm curious about what Helsinki lost (though I realize they would've been lost anyway). I'm guessing they weren't very appealing buildings, but still...
posted by smrtsch at 6:38 PM on May 5, 2006

You know, it's funny, this same kinda thing happened earlier this week in Brooklyn...
posted by SmileyChewtrain at 8:12 PM on May 5, 2006

smrtsch: Does anybody have any links to photos of these warehouses from before they burned to the ground?

There's a picture here, an interior shot here, an overhead shot at the official site, another exterior here, a nice closer view and a Google maps satellite image.

(All links gathered by a non-Helsinki-resident, so MeFiFinns may be able to correct me. By the way, I love the way even riots are more photogenic in Finland.)
posted by Busy Old Fool at 9:39 PM on May 5, 2006

The buildings destroyed in the recent Greenpoint, Brooklyn fire were also scheduled for destruction, and evidence points to arson.
posted by bukharin at 10:25 PM on May 5, 2006

Huh. Huh. Fiiire.
posted by delmoi at 10:46 PM on May 5, 2006

Yet more pictures.

Strangely, the fire started from the part which was in best condition and was meant to be partially preserved (although moved elsewhere). It remains to be seen what is going to happen to these plans now.

Mr. B.O.Fool's pictures look really sad, but the warehouses turned that bad only when they were finally doomed to be demolished. Earlier, the main hall was regularly used for concerts. I saw Ozric Tentacles there in 2004. Had the birthday party of a friend in one of the smaller rooms last summer.

Goodbye Makasiinit.
posted by ikalliom at 11:39 PM on May 5, 2006

Great post, hon :)
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:52 AM on May 6, 2006

That's the parliament building right behind them isn't it?
posted by cillit bang at 8:27 AM on May 6, 2006

Correct, cillit bang-- some of the photos include (the big square thing) the parliament building, but the pointed tower is part of the Finnish National Museum.
posted by taursir at 9:10 AM on May 6, 2006