Steel, glass and wood.

These are what Maritime Centre Vellamo is made of.

Maritime Centre Vellamo is a new building which was opened to the public on 11 July 2008. The building was designed by Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Architects, and the main designer was architect, professor Ilmari Lahdelma.

The building was built and is owned by the City of Kotka, with the state of Finland being a tenant in the building.

Maritime Centre Vellamo houses the Maritime Museum of Finland, Museum of Kymenlaakso and Information Centre Vellamo. Moreover, the building has meeting and teaching facilities, a restaurant and a museum shop.

The facade of Maritime Centre Vellamo is composed of sheet metal cassettes painted in different tones and of silk screen printed glass panels. The glass panels depict the crew of the steel barque Favell (1912) and masts of vessels of the mercantile fleet of the island of Lavansaari (1914). Lights come on behind the glass panels when the night falls.

The interior of the building is dominated by oak, which can be found on the ceiling, walls and floors. The world of colours is surprising: fresh lime, warm orange and deep blue.
 

Awards granted to Maritime Centre Vellamo

• Ceiling project of 2007, Sisäkattoyhdistys ry
• Top attraction in Finnish tourism in 2008, Finnish Travel Association
• Steel structure of the year 2008
• First prize in the tourism series of Finnish championships in marketing by municipalities in 2008
• Certificate of Honour granted by the Council on Disability and the Unobstructed Kotka team of the City of Kotka for significant efforts in promoting accessibility
• Illuminated item of 2009, Illuminating Engineering Society of Finland, outdoor illumination series.
• First prize in the Väri09 (Colour09) competition by the Master Painters’ Association of Finland, Master Painters’ Association of Helsinki and Finnish Fair Corporation.
  
   

Maritime Centre Vellamo in numbers

• Total area 14,366 m², surface area 12,652 m², volume 118,000 m³.
• Main exhibition facilities of the Maritime Museum of Finland 2,000 m², temporary exhibitions 200 m².
• Main exhibition facilities of the Museum of Kymenlaakso 2,200 m², of which 350 m² used by the Coast Guard Museum. Temporary exhibitions 200 m².
• Information Centre Vellamo 500 m². Printed materials: approx. 20,000 books and 3,500 volumes of journals and magazines. Approx. 22,000 electronic journals and magazines, approx. 260,000 titles of electronic books, hundreds of databases in various sectors.
• The length of the building is 300 metres, and the highest point (roof structure Hyöky) is 30 metres from the ground level.
• 1,960,000 kg of frame steel structures.
• 860 silk screen printed glass panels on the facade and at Hyöky.
• Cladding of facade, 8 colour tones, 7,400 m².
• Aluminium grid structure 76,500 kg, i.e. more than 50,000 running metres.
• 2,500 m² of glass walls, glass canopies and glass rails.
• 6,000 m² of panels made of veneered oak on the walls and ceilings.
• 2,400 m² of oak parquet in the main staircase, lobby, walkbridge and boat hall.