City of Turku seeks solution for temporary location of historic Kauppahalli during major renovation
The City of Turku has prepared three alternative spatial solutions for the Market Hall during its upcoming renovation. The options have been developed in cooperation with Turun Osuuskauppa (TOK) in connection with the Wiklund building next to the Market Square.
The city will begin the Market Hall -Kauppahalli- renovation by reinforcing its foundations at the start of 2027. The renovation is inevitable, as the building, which opened in 1896, is sinking by an average of 7-11 mm per year. Moreover, the sinking is uneven, which increases the risk of uncontrolled cracking and structural failure.
"The Market Hall is one of the most recognizable marketplaces in Turku’s city center. I estimate that the total cost of the renovation will exceed €30 million, making it a significant investment in sustaining the vitality of the downtown area", says Turku’s City Manager Tuomas Heikkinen.
The city has prepared temporary facilities to allow the Market Hall’s operations to continue during the foundation reinforcement and renovation, while preserving its unique characteristics as much as possible. Temporary facilities will be needed for about three years. Once the renovation is complete, activities will resume in the historic hall.
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When designing the temporary location, several options were reviewed. Wiklund was favored for its central and logistically functional location, good pedestrian connections, and cost efficiency. Its location right next to the Market Square is easily accessible and visible. Entry to the temporary hall would be through a prominent entrance from the Market Square, designed to echo the wooden architecture of the square’s pavilions.
Progress of the Temporary Facility Plans
In the first phase of planning in 2023, a proposal was presented where the Market Hall would mainly be located in a new modular building behind Wiklund at Brahenpiha. This year, a second proposal was completed, in which operations would be divided between the modular building at the courtyard and Wiklund’s ground floor spaces.
The third and most recent proposal places the Market Hall’s retail spaces entirely on Wiklund’s ground floor as a separate unit covering about 1,800 m². In addition, a 500 m² modular unit would be built at Brahenpiha for cold storage, warehouse, and utility spaces. The entrance to the Market Hall would be directly from Kauppiaskatu.
"It is important for us that the Market Hall remains vibrant during the renovation. The temporary facilities must meet the needs of both merchants and residents. In the decision-making process, we must preserve the dignity of the Market Hall while also considering practicality and costs," says Tuomas Heikkinen.
The preliminary overall cost of option three for the city would be approximately €3.8 million over three years. This is €7 million less than the 2023 proposal and more than €1 million less than the costs of options one and two presented in 2025.
The three alternative solutions for the Market Hall’s temporary facilities and their preliminary cost estimates were presented to the hall’s merchants on Tuesday, 16.9.2025. At the same time, the city corrected misinformation published in the media that suggested the temporary facilities were planned for Wiklund’s second floor.
Plans Refined Based on Feedback
A decision on the Market Hall’s temporary location will be made by the Turku City Board at the end of 2025, and ultimately by the City Council. The move to the temporary facilities would take place at the turn of 2026-2027.
"Before making a decision and finalizing the next version of the temporary facility plan, we want to take into account the comments of the hall’s entrepreneurs. The Market Hall is a unique marketplace whose history and traditions are important to respect. With the input of the merchants, we hope the temporary hall will preserve the spirit and customer base of the Market Hall, even if the surroundings change for a few years," says Pauliina Karjalainen, Head of Premises at the City of Turku.