The History

The Helsinki City Youth Department has maintained media activity for long: Studios in Malmi, Narri, Itäkeskus and Oulunkylä. The problem from the user's point of view was the scattered locations of these sites. To edit, to acquire a camera or to get help there were certainly several phone calls needed.



The first written motion about unifying the video studios was introduced in 1995. Five years later the hunt for a suitable site started. Around 40 locations were inspected. The site in Lönnrotinkatu was found in the Internet. In fact within the premises there had been earlier a hat factory - therefore the nickname Hattutehdas (hat factory). The electricity was disconnected and walls in poor shape and the street light the only delight.

The Juvenile Board decided on Oct. 24th 2001 to rent the premises for the Helsinki City Youth Department to form a combined media center, the squares in total 519 m2.

The professional renovation started right away - the cables, lights, new inner walls, network, as well as design of the layout and interior decoration. The latter in co-operation between the youth and their instructors. In January 2002 begun the actual construction job, and the users themselves - the young - took care of the painting and cleaning of the site.

The intensive mutual negotiations about the interior produced a pleasant result to everybody. Some minor things had to be left out (like the speck machine, ball sea and the pool table). Official opening was held on March 11th 2002.

Everything was ready to go. The Youth Media was a reality.

Real Video

The documentary video of the construction work in "Hattutehdas".

Duration 6:56

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