Helsinki Club
 Helsinki     May 2004

click to enlarge

    Helsinki Club, eponymously named and located, would you believe, in the Finnish capital of Helsinki, has been at the epicentre of nightlife in the city for three decades. Although something of a local institution since its inception in 1971, the venue had recently begun, perhaps understandably, to show signs of its age. Based in the same building as the Sokos Hotel, the club has undergone a number of cosmetic revamps down the years but never one quite as dramatic as that which recently re-invented the entire venue.

    Charged with revitalising this disco cum lounge cum casino, curiously named interior designers M41LH2 have developed a scheme which draws together individual zones within the club to create a range of atmospheres and environments. All areas are linked by a strong focus on architecture and design which has not only revitalised the venue but added that something extra to its overall make-up. The design is, in the main, simple but benefits from a series of unconventional and eye catching flourishes.

    Aside from the venue's casino (which features a floor complete with five cent coins cast in resin) one of the most striking zones within the club is the central lounge area and the extravagance of its ornate decor which completely covers the entire room - and that includes furniture. This striking look is cleverly juxtaposed with the simplicity of The Helsinki Club's corridor areas and the glowing green serenity of the Dome bar.

    However, perhaps the most drastic overhaul at the club remains the heart of the venue itself - the main dancefloor. Here, the repositioning of stairwells and bar areas has provided a feeling of increased space whilst the vibrant glow of the red and orange colour scheme ensures intimacy and intoxication. The dancefloor itself sits beneath a glazed ceiling. A VIP room at the rear of the room continues the colour assault but is sectioned off via semi-reflective glazing and features luminous cocktail tables.

    The Helsinki Club's technological package has been cleverly integrated into the overall look of the venue and melts perfectly into the overall aesthetic. Architectural lighting ensures that design is highlighted whilst providing the perfect, atmospheric backdrop to the club as a whole. On the dancefloor effects lighting installers Eastway Sound & Lighting have made the most of a battery of products from High End Systems. With control coming via a Flying Pig Hog 500 console, twelve HES Technobeams, six Studiospot 250s, four Cyperlight CXs and one AF1000 strobe combine with four Martin Professional Atomic 3000 strobes and haze effects from Rosco and Martin.

    The club's audio package has been looked after by Lightenen Ltd of Helsinki. Loudspeakers and subwoofers are all provided by EAW (eight DC4s, five DCS2s and one DCT1) whilst amplification comes courtesy of Crest Audio (four CA9s and three CA12s) and C-Audio (two Pulse 4x300s and three ST600s). A Peavey X-Frame 88 and XTA DP200 look after the venue's processing requirements.

    All in all the Helsinki Club's new look has dragged what is a Finnish late night legend into the 21st century and ensured its popularity for perhaps even another thirty years.

      light

      Dancefloor Lighting: 12 x High End Systems Technobeam iris (at ceiling); 6 x High End Systems Studiospot 250 (at truss in the middle of hall); 4 x High End Systems Cyberlight CX (at back wall); 1 x High End Systems AF1000 Strobe (above dance floor); 4 x Martin Atomic 3000 strobe (above glass ceiling); 1 x Rosco Hazemaker; 1 x Martin smoke machine; 1 x Flying Pig Hog 500 lighting console

      sound

      8 x EAW DC4; 5 x EAW DCS2; 1 x EAW DCT1; 4 x Crest CA9; 3 x Crest CA12; 2 x C-Audio Pulse 4x300; 1 x Peavey X-Frame 88; 1 x Peavey MM-8802; 2 x Lightenen 19Ó/25U Equipment rack; 1 x RDL RU-SQ6 Power Sequencer. Existing equipment used: 1 x XTA DP200; 3 x C-Audio ST600; 1 x Peavey IDL1000

      www.helsinkiclub.com