Särkänniemi plans event arena and restaurant in protected buildings

Särkänniemi has applied to Tampere for permission to renovate and expand protected buildings, Yle reports. The plans include converting the dolphinarium into an event arena, adding a restaurant to the base of Näsinneula and building a new parking facility.

The city’s plans involve demolishing the office section inside Näsinneula’s base building and parts of the dolphinarium. The sections to be removed were added to the buildings later, according to the city.

Dolphinarium to become event venue

The dolphinarium’s water pools and service facilities would be demolished. The remaining part would be converted for event use, while the foyer and auditorium areas would be renovated in accordance with the buildings’ protection objectives.

The dolphinarium’s extension, built in 2007, would also be demolished. It would be replaced by a new extension and a multifunctional hall. The extension would support event use, and the multifunctional hall and dolphinarium extension would have a combined floor area of 3,400 square metres.

A new parking facility would be built next to the multifunctional hall. The hall’s facade is shown as colourful in the plans.

New restaurant planned for Näsinneula base

Part of Näsinneula’s base building would be demolished and expanded while taking its protection objectives into account. The changes would also improve accessibility.

The extension would have a floor area of 1,200 square metres. The office section would be demolished, and the plans include a new restaurant in the base building.

Protected buildings

The original dolphinarium and the base section of Näsinneula are protected under the local detailed plan. They are considered valuable in architectural and cultural-historical terms, as well as important for preserving the cityscape.

Repairs and alterations must preserve the buildings’ significant character in the cityscape and their architectural and cultural-historical values. For major projects, the plans must be submitted to a museum authority for an opinion.

The city’s urban environment committee will consider the application for a deviation permit on September 1. Any permit granted would be valid for two years.

The wider Särkänniemi development project is being advanced in stages. Yle reported last week that Tampere had divided the large project into separate parts after the Hämeenlinna Administrative Court overturned an investment of nearly 26 million euros in Särkänniemi in June.