If You Cannot Go Up,

then you must go down,

 and that is what architects Arkkitehtitoimisto JKMM Oy, or JKMM Architects as they are known in English did, when planning permission was not given to build above ground for the soon-to-open Amos Rex museum in Helsinki, 

 the Helsinki-based practice renovated Lasipalatsi, a functionalist 1930s building in the Finnish capital, to provide a new home for the former Amos Anderson Art Museum, now called Amos Rex,

 by building underground the company were able to use what was formerly used as a bus station,

 over 2,200 square metres of gallery space was created in a series of domed spaces underground,

the Lasipalatsi itself, including the 590-seat cinema, has been fully restored by JKAA as part of the project, this 1930s cinema, called Bio Rex, provided half of the name Amos Rex, the rest of the building that surrounds the square contains shops and restaurants,

this square will host a programme of outdoor events to support the gallery, Lasipalatsi, which roughly translates as glass palace, is one of the best preserved examples of 1930s functionalist architecture in Finland,it was constructed in 1936 in preparation for the Olympics, which were postponed but eventually came to Helsinki in 1952, Amos Anderson Art Museum chose the building for its new home, as it had grown out of its former premises in a nearby converted newspaper offices, but the structure was not suited to housing modern art,

  the structural domes extend into the square above, and are punctuated with angled projected skylights to create a uniquely shaped public space,

Asmo Jaaksi founding partner at JKMM Architects, said ‘We hope people use the square in as many ways as possible by occupying the square freely, perhaps staging spontaneous happenings and even introducing new types of city culture, the most important thing for us is that, as a public space, the square will attract lots of people and be full of life,’ so there you have it, if you cannot go up, go down! photography is by Tuomas Uusheimo.