Finlandia Hall in Helsinki is both functional and decorative. The building is composed of cubic forms with a tower that architect Alvar Aalto hoped would improve the building's acoustics.
The concert hall was completed in 1971 and the congress wing in 1975. Over the years, several design flaws surfaced. Balconies on the upper level muffle the sound. The exterior Carrara marble cladding was thin and began to curve.
An expensive restoration project began in 1998.