Three functions, one entity
Hidden Garden — A New Meeting Place on the Aura River
At the heart of Hidden Garden are a bakery, a restaurant, and a sauna – three distinct functions that together create a space alive from morning to night, every season of the year. The bakery offers an easy drop-in for coffee or bread. The bistro-style restaurant seats around 50 and builds its menu on local, seasonal produce. The sauna, centered around a sheltered atrium courtyard, draws on Finnish sauna tradition and adapts it to an urban setting – complete with a smoke sauna and a lounge bar open to all.
Dialogue between new and old
The historic Vaakahuone building is preserved and given new purpose. A new red brick extension complements it in scale and material, placing the existing sheet metal façade between two brick masses and creating a coherent whole. Heavy terrace structures are removed to restore the original façade to the cityscape. The result is a balanced conversation between old and new – without either dominating the other.
Local environment and urban space
The outdoor spaces open directly onto the Aura riverbank, linking naturally to the waterfront path and the city’s pedestrian routes. Terraces sit at street level in a southern European style, softened by trees and planting. On the other side, the hidden garden provides a quieter, sheltered counterpoint – a transition from the public river space into something more intimate. Together, they strengthen the year-round vitality of Turku’s city center.
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