The Vartiovuori Observatory by Engel in Turku will be given a new purpose

Image: Sebastien Lafond

Press release September 16, 2025
Lundén Architecture Oy

The Vartiovuori Observatory building will change hands and become a versatile hub for architecture and events. Åbo Akademi University Foundation sr signed a contract yesterday transferring the ownership of Engel’s Vartiovuori Observatory building in Turku to Koy Turun Tähtitorni. Lundén Architecture Oy will operate the building and transform it into an active public venue for creating, discussing, debating and showcasing architecture.

The Vartiovuori Observatory building has been owned by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation and served as their office and base since 2007. Under the new ownership, the building will continue its legacy as a place of learning and innovation.

“It has been important for us to find a buyer with a strong vision for the building and an appreciation of its significance in Turku. We greatly value that the Observatory will now be developed into an active meeting place for the city and its residents”, says Lasse Svens, CEO of Åbo Akademi University Foundation.

The Åbo Akademi University Foundation purchased the Observatory building from the City of Turku in 2007. Following the City Council’s decision at the time, the building has welcomed the public annually ever since.

“We are excited about the opportunity to develop the valuable building by Engel into an active place for creating, discussing, debating and showcasing architecture”, says Eero Lundén, founder of Lundén Architecture Oy. “Through the new premises in the Observatory building, we will also be able to take a more active presence in Turku”, he adds.

The aim is to open the Observatory building to the residents of Turku through various events and activities. This new hub will give architecture, urban planning and art a physical home, inviting the public to reflect on the significance of architecture and its role in society, as well as experience Engel’s masterpiece. The Observatory will serve as a new kind of platform for discussion and exchange of ideas, hosting lectures, workshops, exhibitions and workspaces. An onsite café is also planned for conversations and gathering. The plan is to activate the surrounding Vartiovuori Park and historic water storage as part of the venue, with summer pop-up events bringing people together in one of Turku’s most beloved buildings.

Designed by architect Carl Ludvig Engel and built between 1817 and 1819 for the Royal Academy of Turku, the Vartiovuori Observatory is known as Finland’s first observatory. Its original purpose was however short-lived as the academy moved to Helsinki after the Great Fire of Turku. Over the years, the building has housed the Maritime Academy, the Turku Maritime Museum and Turku Art Museum.

In recent years, the building has been open to the public through guided tours and open house events. To make its rich history accessible to a wider audience, the Åbo Akademi University Foundation has provided a free virtual tour of the building. In the future, the Observatory will become a meeting place for thoughtful discussions about the built and unbuilt environment, while continuing to honour its layered past and local traditions, such as raising the flag on Turku Day, September 21, 2025.

“Next Sunday, the Turku coat of arms will fly above the Observatory building. We are proud of the building’s history and cherish its place as a Turku landmark,” says Eero Lundén.

For further information, please contact:

Lasse Svens
CEO of Åbo Akademi University Foundation
Phone: +358 50 056 2945
E-mail: lasse.svens@stiftelsenabo.fi

Eero Lundén
Founder of Lundén Architecture
Phone: +358 040 521 3078
E-mail: eero.lunden@lunden.co