The new headquarters completed for SUPO is the most secure building in Finland

In 2025, the everyday operations of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service were characterised by the introduction of the new SUPO headquarters in Kaartinkaupunki, Helsinki. For the first time in its history, SUPO was able to move into facilities designed specifically for the intelligence and security service’s needs. The headquarters, called the most secure building in Finland, features many unique security solutions and special facilities, which are based on years of planning and testing.

“There has never been a building like this in Finland. The adaptable facilities are designed to stand the test of time and respond to different existing and emerging security threats”, says Harri Sarvanto, who led the construction project at SUPO. 

The architectural design of the building aimed at finding a balance between the sense of community and the extremely stringent information security requirements characteristic of SUPO. The new headquarters has already received positive feedback from its users on its subdued soundscape and good indoor air.

SUPO employees have been waiting for new office facilities for decades. The planning of the project began in 2015, and construction work was launched in 2022. The first SUPO employees moved into the new building in spring 2025. During the ten years of construction, SUPO itself has changed a lot: the number of SUPO’s employees has doubled, the introduction of civilian intelligence legislation turned SUPO into an intelligence service, and Finland joined NATO. The changes brought their own nuances to the construction project.

“It’s challenging to prepare for a future we don’t know. IT systems are easy to scale up but a building’s foundation is not”, says Sarvanto.

Constructing a high-security building required taking account of the threats typical of the sector from the very beginning of project planning. Compliance with a high-level security culture in the daily operations of the site required learning and commitment from every builder.

SUPO’s own staff were also involved in the planning and implementation of the security and IT functionalities of the building in an exceptional manner. Even though the workload was enormous in relation to the resources, the skilled employees succeeded in solving even the most demanding technical challenges. 

The Kaarti block, where the headquarters of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service is located, is one of the oldest blocks in Helsinki. The other buildings in the block mainly date back to the 19th century. With its brickwork façade, the SUPO building is beautifully aligned with the surrounding classic cityscape. Usually, SUPO avoids public displays of its professional successes, but this construction project has left a visible mark at the very core of Finland’s capital.

The new headquarters of the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service is located on Fabianinkatu in Kaarti block. The visiting address is Kaartinkuja 3. SUPO is neighboured by the Finnish Ministry of Defence and the Defence Command of the Finnish Defence Forces. The headquarters was built at the site of one of the Defence Command’s former office buildings.