ABSTRACT
Makasiinit, more officially known as the State Railway’s warehouses1, were located in the Töölönlahti Bay area in the heart of Helsinki. Since 1987, when the railway-related uses were moved elsewhere, until their demolition in 2006, Makasiinit were appropriated by citizens and used in novel ways. Makasiinit gradually became one of Helsinki’s most popular event venues, hosting a versatile array of events and some semi-permanent uses. The variety of their programme and the easy-going, lowbrow character of the historic buildings made Makasiinit well known and frequented by many kinds of visitors. Their uniquely central location,
literally on the footsteps of the Finnish Parliament, underlined their image as an alternative space for grassroots phenomena.
