WeeGee

WeeGee Cafe terrace

WeeGee-talo (WG House) in Tapiola, Espoo is a fantastic set of art galleries and museums, brought together in the equally fantastic converted former Welin & Göös printing works. The original structure is for me the star of the show - in the main wing each of eight hollow concrete pylons support an independent 27 x 27 metre square of roof, like giant parasols over huge concrete table, and give huge areas of column free space on the upper floor.

Originally designed by Professor Aarno Ruusuvuori, the printing works was completed in the 1960s, and was heavily influenced by the 'serial approach, duplication and geometry typical of Constructivism'. As well as the structure, such innovations such as a ventilated double skinned, double glazed facade (with ingenious sliding inner skin to give access), and the glass washrooms (cue joke on glass ceilings...) led to the building being 'protected' (in effect listed) when production stopped in 1990. The €24m conversion, completed 2006, was carried out by Airas Architects, and respects the original features whilst integrating the huge volume of services, and varying needs of the 5 museums, art gallery and art school. 

We were lucky enough to be shown around by the project architect Henna Helander as part of the MFA 06/07 series of tours, and got to see the EMMA (Espoo Museum of Modern Art) staff and conservation areas; the huge basement plant room (and stand in the main air duct); and find out why they went to the effort of excavating the basement for the main cloakroom area when there is nothing on that level (answer: because the black box auditorium that should have been there was omitted during the project).