In August 2020, one of Finland's most prestigious buildings comes to life, as the renewed Helsinki Olympic Stadium reopens its doors to the public. Locking solutions provider Abloy Oy's latest security and access control technology will have a strong presence at the renewed stadium securing almost 3,000 new doors and locking points.

The Olympic Stadium has hosted both Finnish and international visitors for more than 80 years. Since 1938, the Helsinki Olympic Stadium has been Finland's most important event arena, as well as a meeting hub for exercise, sports, entertainment, culture and travel. The stadium not only hosts major events but is open 360 days a year.

Daily recreational activities set requirements on security and access control

All the different facilities in the stadium will have several uses in the future. On weekdays, citizens and sports clubs can use the facilities for training or as meeting spaces. During events, the facilities have their role in event production.

The logistics of the Olympic Stadium has also been greatly improved, as an underground logistics tunnel will be built under the running track. This allows moving around the stadium indoors. The tunnel will also be used as a 400-meter indoor running track. Moreover, the building will have office spaces available for rent.

“Due to the requirements of a multi-purpose stadium, locking and security solutions play an important role. ABLOY solutions will affect the stadium's usability and overall safety significantly”, said Ilkka Rautakivi, estate and security manager of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.

“We estimate that about one million visitors a year will visit the Olympic Stadium. In total, we have about 2,500 doors and locking points. They all can be opened with a single key. On top of that, there are about 200 lockers in the changing rooms, which will be equipped with electronic code locks,” said Rautakivi.

“The Olympic Stadium is an exceptionally multi-faceted building in terms of security solutions. We provide the property with a wider-than-usual range of our solutions. At arenas, it is important to make sure that the emergency exits function perfectly. ABLOY electric locks that secure rapid evacuation can also be found at the Warsaw National Stadium in Poland, which opened in 2012 and accommodates approximately 55,000 people,” said Jussi Ahvalo, vice president, international sales, Abloy Oy.

In addition to the supply agreement, Abloy has signed an agreement with the Stadium Foundation for marketing cooperation. ABLOY as a brand will be visible on the visitor routes of the renewed stadium, among other things.

“Abloy and the Olympic Stadium have a long history in common. The building was opened in 1938, and ABLOY locks have ever since secured the premises as well as protected the music and sports enthusiasts visiting there. Now the stadium's doors have gotten the upgrade they deserve, as PROTEC2 CLIQ and ABLOY OS solutions will bring the benefits of electromechanical locking and access control to the stadium," Ahvalo continued.

The Olympic Stadium is part of the vibrant urban environment in Helsinki. The operation of the stadium also has far-reaching economic effects on the whole society.

“After the improvement project, the production impact of the stadium is estimated to be approximately 130 million euros per year. In addition, the regional economic impact of the events will be approximately 80 million euros per year. Thanks to the improvements and renovation, it is possible to organize major sports and entertainment events in Finland also in the future”, said Marju Paju, marketing and communication director of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.