Completed projects

Developer: Sitra, SRV, Kojamo
Partners: ARUP, Sauerbruch-Hutton, SARC, Vahanen and Granlund
Jätkäsaari, Välimerenkatu 6, 8, 10, Hietasaarenkuja 3a, Juutinraumankatu 7, 9
Completed in 2017

Airut was originally a project of Sitra and the City of Helsinki, which began with invited design competition for sustainable construction. Based on the result of this competition, the parties, SRV and Kojamo, as well as the designers Sauerbruch Hutton and Optiplan Oy, set out to develop the overall Low2No concept, the main objectives of which are related to minimising the carbon footprint, low-carbon building materials and methods, energy efficiency during use, smart technical systems and enabling a low-carbon lifestyles. Today, this block is called the Airut Block.

The block’s total floor area is approximately 27,730 square metres, including privately financed rental and owner-occupied apartments, as well as Hitas homes, office space, commercial premises and shared spaces to promote community.

The block consists of six apartment buildings, ranging from three to eight storeys, built using cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated concrete elements clad in brick: As Oy Helsingin Välimerenkatu 10, As Oy Helsingin Försti, As Oy Helsingin Välimerenkatu 8, As Oy Helsingin Mantteli, As Oy Helsingin Vinssi and As Oy Helsingin Hietasaarenkuja 3a. Först and Välimerenkatu 8 have a basement floor.
The plot is located in the middle of a new neighbourhood formed by dense closed blocks. The block is bordered by Välimerenkatu, Hietasaarenkuja ja Juutinraumankatu. In the southwest, the block is bordered by Hyväntoivonpuisto (Park of Good Hope), which is under construction.

A multi-purpose block

The block has facilities for a laundry, a public sauna, a restaurant, a local food market, a cafe, a grocery store, a semi-public market area and a common area. The plot of As Oy Välimerenkatu 10 has a laundry, the C-Life Center (a common area for hobbies and gatherings) and sauna facilities that serve the entire block. These facilities serve all the companies within the block, and access rights to the facilities are specified in more detail in the block’s joint arrangement agreement. The operation of the facilities can be granted to external service providers. In this case, the negotiating body formed jointly by the housing companies selects the operator and negotiates the terms of the service agreement. Services may also be provided to third parties.

The C_LIFE Center common area

The C_LIFE Center is a shared block-level social space that serves as a venue for resident gatherings and recreation and, in a separately defined way, also for third parties, thus increasing the block’s social sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint.

Compliance of the buildings with EU directives

The block complies with the national guidelines of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive. In accordance with the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, some of the electricity used in the buildings is produced on-site and is renewable. Energy efficiency targets: offices E= 90 kWh/m2 and apartments E= 100 kWh/m2.

The buildings have solar panels installed on the roofs. The electricity produced by the panels supplies the building’s electrical equipment.

Smart services and management

Comprehensive and modern IT services have been implemented in part of the block. In these housing companies, the housing company can choose to purchase the services from the operating company after a trial period.

Residential apartments are equipped with an automation system, which primarily aims to encourage energy-saving behaviour. Measurements through this system include:

• an apartment’s total electricity consumption
• stove, sauna heater, dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer
• entertainment hub
• apartment temperature measurement
• room temperature measurement
• the apartment’s cold and hot water measurement (for billing purposes)
   

The home automation system has the ability to connect to a cloud service, allowing residents to monitor their consumption data from their computers.

The apartments have a home/away control switch, which allows residents to ensure that the selected electrical appliances (sauna heater, stove, dishwasher, washing machine) and lighting are off when leaving the apartment.

In office and business premises, measurement data is uploaded to the automation system, which enables user-specific monitoring. Measurements through this system include:

• total electricity consumption for the premises
• cold and hot water measurement for the premises
• measurement of heating and cooling energy for the premises
• energy metering of district heat
• electricity consumption of the property
• electricity used by ventilation
• electricity used by cooling
• electricity used by the parking garage
   

Kojamo uses its existing systems to communicate with residents and implements services and management for its project through its own systems.

Waste management in the block

Waste management in this area is provided through a pneumatic waste collection system.

Low-carbon building materials

Material choices have been made based on the carbon footprint.

Training and guidance

Residents and businesses operating in the block play a significant role in the pursuit of a low-carbon operating model. People’s behaviour and everyday choices can be influenced by information, such as instructions placed in the cloud service, which also allows residents to monitor their consumption data from their computers.

Developer: ATT
Partners: Arkkitehtitoimisto HMV Oy, Uudenmaan Mestari-Rakentajat Oy
Kalasatama, Antareksenkatu 3
Completed in 2012

City House apartments are designed for a variety of households. Typical residents are single-parent families and two independent adults in shared housing. The design of the apartments has taken into account the varying number of household members, e.g., children staying with a parent on weekends. For this reason, apartments are designed with sleeping alcoves and walk-in closets to accommodate these living situations. In particular, the one-bedroom apartments are designed with ‘neutral rooms’ instead of the traditional living room and bedroom.

The studios and one-bedroom apartments have French balconies facing the street. The outdoor lounge areas are shared terraces on each floor, connecting the two structures.

There are a total of 63 apartments. The most common type of housing is a one-bedroom apartment. The apartments are built around spacious staircases. Even small apartments have an exceptionally high ratio of facade wall, and the apartments are bright.

The common lounge area and shared saunas are located on the topmost floor. They are accompanied by large roof terraces and green roofs with both potted gardens and sections of planted vegetation (sedum).

City House is the second residential building in Kalasatama’s parking-free block.

The lack of parking spaces has been compensated for with better-than-average bicycle storage facilities and a moped garage. Each apartment has its own storage space marked with the apartment number, allocated according to the number of rooms. Access to the bicycle storage facilities is directly from the stairwells, and they also have outside access. In addition, the building has a separate bicycle maintenance area. Car-sharing parking spaces are located close to the block.

Developer: Suomen Keskuskodit Oy
Developer: Arkta Reponen Oy
Partner: Karin Krokfors Architects (Arkkitehtitoimisto Karin Krokfors Oy)
Completed in 2024

This development project aims to create spatially sustainable buildings that serve the diverse and individual needs of the residents. Building for longevity, which conserves natural resources and promotes energy efficiency, requires buildings that can easily adapt to unpredictable changes. In the Living Building, the sizes of apartments and their spatial solutions are easily modified throughout the building’s life cycle, without being permanently tied to specific apartment sizes and uses at any point.

The apartments consist of spacious units with their own entrance, which can be combined and separated into different types of units: from small apartments to large ones and vice versa, or even communal housing, partial workspace or secondary apartments. The tenant/building owner can determine the spatial arrangements and modifications needed for the apartments quite independently, even with limited resources, while considering their immediate needs.

The diversity of spaces available to the residents of the Living Building has been achieved through a new patented building system that combines building technologies with its load-bearing structures in novel ways. The system does not impose constraints on external architecture and spatial design. As a rule, spaces can be customised into any type of room and modifications are easy, and, if necessary, reversible. The technological elements also create the potential for space modifications for future technical changes. Plumbing repairs will be substantially easier and less frequent.

Total floor area: 2828 m2
Apartment floor area: 2344 m2
This architectural project has 47 apartments with the possibility for 57 apartments

Developer: NREP and Rakennusliike Reponen Oy
Partner: Architecture office Kimmo Lylykangas Oy
Länsisatama, Bahamankatu
2020–

The project examines the implementation of a demanding energy efficiency target (E=90) and high-quality natural lighting within a closed urban block structure. The aim is to implement Finland’s first nearly zero-energy apartment building. The energy-efficiency target anticipates future developments in regulatory control.

The project examines the impact of the shape of the building and window surface area on the E-number and purchased energy, which determines the maintenance costs of energy use. The results are presented graphically to show which of the factors described above has the greatest impact on energy consumption for heating modern apartment buildings.

The project also examines the impact of the buffer zone formed by glazed balconies on the E-number and purchased energy. Among others, Kimmo Hilliaho (MSc) at the Tampere University of Technology (TUT) has studied the impact of balcony zones on energy efficiency. According to Hilliaho’s simulations and measurement results, a glazed balcony can reduce the consumption of purchased energy for space heating by 4–11%. However, the actual savings are significantly affected by how the balcony is used. A compact urban structure affects the benefits of balcony glazing.

The project also assesses the feasibility of the E-number target and, in particular, whether the demanding target (E=90) restricts design solutions with regard to daylight conditions or other elements of high-quality housing architecture.

The project also monitors developments in regulatory guidance on energy efficiency in construction.

Builder: Basso Building Systems Oy
Kalasatama, Työpajanpiha
2019–2023

The EXCESS Positive Energy Building development project was launched at the beginning of October 2019. The project brings together 21 partners from eight countries and is funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

This four-year project aims to demonstrate that it is possible to transition from low-energy buildings to positive-energy ones. A ‘Positive Energy Building’ refers to a building that produces more energy than it consumes on an annual basis. The project will build four pilot projects in four different climate zones across Europe: the northern climate (Finland), the continental climate (Austria), the Atlantic marine climate (Belgium) and the Mediterranean climate (Spain).

The EXCESS project combines existing individual technologies and local renewable energy production while also developing products to meet the requirements of a Positive Energy Building in each of the four different climates. The EXCESS project therefore aims to develop an integrated concept of existing technologies and products for further development. The basic technologies of the Positive Energy Building already exist to a large extent, and the products are already partly available on the market, but an integrated smart product package is missing.

The pilot project for the northern climate zone will be built in Helsinki, where 800-metre deep heat wells, which are at the core of the technology, will be used with heat pumps both for heat production and for seasonal storage of the excess heat produced by the building in many different ways. The Austrian pilot project focuses particularly on facade solar panels and a geothermal system connected to the electricity grid through smart billing. The Belgian pilot project uses photovoltaics and heat pumps in social housing production, where flexibility in energy production is increased by integrating it into regional district heating. The Spanish pilot project is based on the large amount of solar electricity that will be used in the property itself, with the surplus stored in batteries for later use.

The EXESS project aims at a user-friendly integrated system using intelligent ITC technology to optimise local energy production, energy storage and consumption at both building and regional levels. The aim of the project is to innovate through cooperation between the parties and develop an overall concept that can be repeated, which will provide the operating model of a positive energy apartment building as a standard product for residential construction.

Developer: ATT
Partner: Architectural firm Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Oy
Kalasatama, Arielinkatu 10
Completed in 2012

Studiotalo, the parking-free block of Kalasatama, has parking-free Hitas apartments. There is no resident parking on the block. Instead, there are bicycle storage spaces in smaller units, ample storage areas for prams and walkers, and shared car parking spaces located nearby.

To support a car-free lifestyle, the project emphasised the scope and accessibility of bicycle storage facilities. One hundred and seventy-six indoor bicycle storage spaces were built (3.91 bicycle spaces per apartment).

The project developed studio apartments based on the loft concept, featuring higher-than-normal ceilings, tactile surfaces and unconventional spatial arrangements. The windows typically extend to the floor, and instead of standard closets, most apartments have walk-in closets. The tactile quality of the surfaces was achieved with techniques such as using brick masonry surfaces in part of the interior of the apartment, as well as by leaving the pillar-slab structure visible. The solution brings a more rugged materiality to living spaces than usual and is an important detail of interior design.

Spatial openness was achieved by increasing the ceiling height in the rooms and by leaving the placement of some internal walls that delimit activities to the discretion of the occupant. To increase resident choice, the options for openness were offered at three levels: some were spatially designed to have conventional rooms, some fully open, and some in between. Possible partition wall locations were provided as an example for all apartment types.

The facade architecture was designed to be minimalist and to avoid isolated details.

Developer: Helsinki Region Student Housing Foundation HOAS
Partner: Arkkitehtitoimisto Konkret Oy
Vuosaari, Retkeilijänkatu 11
2019–2020

Development themes for the Hima Mini Homes include new and versatile common areas combined with mini homes, cost-effective implementation of changes in the use of the building, utilisation of modularity in infill construction, as well as streamlined construction and on-site humidity management.

The division of the apartments was implemented in such a way that allowed the current facades to remain as unchanged as possible, resulting in a cost-effective and ecological solution. The size of the mini apartments is 16.5–17.5 m2, and there are a total of 80 of these apartments in the project. Larger apartments that range from 25–47 m2 were placed in the corners of the building. There are a total of 20 of these apartments in the project.

The project includes a large number of dormitory rooms, which has led to the floors being personalised with unique colours. Each floor has its own distinctive colour, which is repeated in the accent walls in the corridors and common areas, sofa upholstery and ceiling lamps in apartments.

Most of the students’ common areas are on the ground floor along Retkeilijänkatu. The entrance has a spacious coffee room/communal kitchen, which is connected to the lobby by large glass doors.

Bicycle storage has been brought to the street level to facilitate use, and a visible location also increases the safety of the storage. The bicycle storage facility has a numbered bicycle space for each student. A new type of lounge laundry makes it possible to study and hang out alongside doing laundry. There is a gym next to the laundry, so you can also conveniently combine laundry with workouts. There are two spacious saunas on the other side of the corridor. Students can book the laundry or the saunas even at short notice via a mobile app.

The upper floors offer students study and collaboration spaces in connection with the main stairwell and lift lobby, as well as smaller, quiet reading corners at both the eastern and western ends of the building. There is also a communal kitchen on the third floor. The second and fourth floors have space reserved for a kitchen in the same place, making it possible to convert these spaces into communal kitchens in the future, if necessary.

The basement floor houses the students’ storage spaces, as well as the office building’s former dining room and prep kitchen, which are leased to an external business. In addition, there are sauna and banquet facilities on the top floor from the time when it was an office building. These can be used, for example, as spaces rented out by the restaurant operator.

• Project gross floor area: 4,696 m2
• Total floor area: 2,917 m2
• Dormitory net floor area: 1,975 m2
• Net floor area of student common areas on floors 1–4: 571 m2

Developer: NCC, Fennia
Partner: Tuomo Siitonen Architects (Arkkitehtitoimisto Tuomo Siitonen)
Viikki, Viikinportti 2, 4
Completed in 2012

The Independent Apartment Building project consists of 166 apartments, 71 Hitas apartments and 95 privately financed rental apartments. The aim of the project was to increase independence in individual homes and thus flexibility to meet more individual housing needs. Technical solutions and apartment-specific consumption measurements ensure that operating costs are allocated with the aim of reducing costs during the occupancy phase. The development themes focused on Hitas apartments.

The main idea was to integrate all possible functions into these apartments. Each apartment has a storage room of approximately 5 m², which opens to either the corridor or the stairwell. Each apartment has also has a sauna and laundry facilities. The balconies are large and can be opened in the summer, creating a spacious atmosphere similar to a terrace in a detached house. The property has a communal sauna area with a terrace featuring panoramic views. The glass-walled lifts are dimensioned to be wheelchair accessible and also suitable for transporting prams, bikes, and other items. There are no common areas or storage spaces in the basement.

The economical apartments are built to be almost completely independent. The apartments are the first in Finland to be equipped with apartment-specific electricity and water meters.

Builder: Oulun Rakennusteho Oy
Partners: ARK-house arkkitehdit Oy, Aalto University
Länsisatama, Malagankatu 5
Completed in 2016

The research work for this project paid special attention to the ‘grey zone’ at the intersection of private and shared spaces. The aim was to explore how a sense of community could be supported through architectural means. This meant, among other things, breaking down the anatomy of the apartment building into its hierarchically distinct parts and zones with regard to privacy.

In his book Pattern Language, written in the 1960s, Christopher Alexander already divided the characteristics of space into four different parts: private, semi-private, semi-public and public. Following this basic division and consciously planning the peripheral areas of these different zones can enrich the spatial hierarchy of an apartment building. The aim of the project was to create new spaces for social encounters and community.

Achieving the goals and creating tangible examples required commitment from the parties involved in the project. One of the prerequisites was a new interpretation of traditional key figures. For example, the calculation method for measuring the input efficiency of stairwells has been based on a rough interpretation of the space hierarchy, accepting stairwells as merely a one-dimensional interface between private and public spaces. The possibility of extending a semi-private or fully public space into the stairwell area has not been feasible due to, among other things, rough pricing criteria.

If ceding private spaces to the common good and the reciprocal co-ownership of public space can be resolved in a natural architectural way, it is possible to create apartment blocks with a much more open hierarchy. This requires a more precise symbolic demarcation of the zones through architecture. For example, gate motifs, changes in materials and colours, and changes in the height of the space are ways to mark different borders. By structuring different spaces and surfaces in various ways, the flow of space from private to public can be designed to continue in an interesting way while remaining clearly perceptible from the interiors to public street spaces. In addition, different typologies can be implemented in parallel in the same apartment building.

Developer: Saraco Oy
Partner: Anttinen Oiva Arkkitehdit Oy
Jätkäsaari, Juutinraumankatu 6
Completed in 2013

The project’s main objective was to develop consultant-led group construction into a new form of implementation for apartment building construction. The purpose of this implementation model was to provide residents with a clear price advantage compared to developer-driven construction.

In the Saraco model, residents serve as the housing company’s founding partners, and the purchase price of the apartment is based on the actual costs of the project. The opposite of this is developer-driven production, where the developer aims for maximum profitability through cost savings and the highest possible sales price.

Other goals included providing families with children and their growing teenagers and/or aging parents with housing solutions that are not available in the inner city: larger family apartments that can be combined with a smaller secondary apartment.

Developer: Bonava Suomi Oy
Partner: Architects Anttila & Rusanen Oy
Haaga, Eliel Saarisen tie 44, Eliel Saarisen polku 3 (Isonnevantie 16e)
Completed in 2019

The building type also allows for detached-house-style living, even in a more densely built environment. The lift or stairs can be taken directly to the private yard, which provides access to the apartment. There are only two apartments on each floor.

All apartments open in three directions and have a clear end-unit floor plan, making it easy to change their internal layout. The location of the wall separating the bedroom area in the apartments is also variable on each floor. The apartment is accessed through a private yard.

The apartments in the building are adjacent to a large private yard on each floor. Due to the mobility solution employed in the building, the yards are used daily throughout the year. The size and location of the yard offer residents opportunities to use the outdoor space for a variety of activities: playing, lounging, potted gardening, dining, barbecuing, drying laundry, repairing bikes, tinkering, etc. The yard area is glazed.

Modular floor plans allow for variability in the number and location of storage spaces within the apartment. The typical storage facilities associated with apartment buildings (movable items and outdoor equipment storage) are on the ground floor of the building. The floor-specific yards are easily accessible by lift and support a pleasant everyday life: prams, skateboards, wheelchairs or rubber boots can be stored near the front door of the apartment.

The intact, cubic shape of the building is energy efficient. The multi-storey yard zone is positioned in the optimal direction to protect the apartments from overheating.

The resident survey conducted in May 2021 surveyed the achievement of the set goals and resident satisfaction. Ninety-one per cent of respondents said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with their new home. The homes received the most praise for their multi-storey yards, high ceilings and brightness. In addition to the location, the specific features of the property (floor-specific yards, ceiling height, etc.), the apartment layouts and the fact that it was a new property became factors influencing the purchase decision. Residents have used their floor-specific yards especially for dining, lounging, cultivation and storage.

Developer: Kestävät Kodit Oy
Partner: Avarrus Arkkitehdit Oy
Oulunkylä, Mestarintie 19
Completed in 2024

Avarrus Arkkitehdit has developed a modern apartment building in Oulunkylä, along Käskynhaltijantie, incorporating technical solutions that have been proven sustainable over centuries. The end result is an energy-efficient, sustainable, healthy and comfortable apartment building.

The Sustainable Apartment Building project has used selected mass construction solutions as well as natural, non-plastic building materials alongside the latest technology and fresh modern architecture. The technical and architectural solutions explored include solid brick structures and gravity ventilation in new building construction. The project is modelled after buildings constructed with solid, double-brick masonry. Buildings constructed with this technology, such Töölö’s brick buildings from the 1930s, have been shown to consume little energy. Solid masonry construction is a moisture-proof solution that also gives the building a distinctive and durable character.

Illustrative studies will be published on the project, assessing the functionality of its technical solutions from the perspectives of the builder, designer, and residents, as well as the effects on health and living comfort. The solid brick building is a continuation of the smaller mass timber buildings previously designed by Avarrus, where gravity ventilation has been used, such as As. Oy Helsingin Konstaapeli Spaak.

Developer: Basso Building Systems Oy, Kojamo Oyj and SSR Uusimaa Oy
Partners: Arkkitehtitoimisto Hedman & Matomäki Oy 
Kivikko, Paukkulantie 2
Completed in 2020

In 2016, the City of Helsinki held the Affordable Apartment Building competition, which was a call for applications and negotiations aimed at finding new solutions for affordable housing. The competition resulted in the selection of developers for two apartment blocks, Kivikko and Laajasalo. The project aimed to give construction industry operators the opportunity to demonstrate solutions for delivering affordable housing through real-world projects.

The Kivikko project approached affordability through concept-based construction. The second theme was energy efficiency, which was pursued through building services engineering. The property has a total of 106 apartments in two buildings. One is a four-storey, single-loaded corridor building; the other, a two-storey terraced house. Half of the apartments are partial Hitas apartments, and the other half are privately financed owner-occupied apartments.
 

Builder: Fira Oy
Koskela, Koskelantie, plot 26972/1
2018–

The Koskela Life Cycle Block is a project that combines three different development themes. One of the development areas of this project is the utilisation of deep geothermal heat in a new way in geothermal energy production. Another development theme is the cooperative housing model, which offers a new kind of resident-oriented way to build and manage residential buildings. The third development theme is a concept that examines the possibility of the ageing population to independently arrange for the financing of care services related to housing.

The Koskela block is part of the infill construction of the Koskela Hospital area, which is culturally and historically significant. The area will gradually turn into a predominantly residential area. The former hospital buildings are protected in the local detailed plan, and the new buildings will be integrated into the existing urban landscape. The cooperative houses are the lowest buildings on the block, and they are located on the edge of Rohtotarha Park. The block has a sheltered courtyard with a car park underneath. The buildings on the Koskelantie side protect the yard from traffic noise. A pathway runs through the courtyard, with play and seating areas along it for common use by residents.

The project has a right to build 12,300 square metres of floor space, and 220 apartments will be built.

Utilization of deep geothermal heat

The goal of QHeat Oy (the company that was to be established) was to build a central heating plant in the block at its own expense, which would distribute geothermal energy to each housing company in the block. Each housing company would have entered into a heating supply contract with QHeat. The contract would have lasted 18 years, after which the contract would have continued like a normal district heating contract. The connection fee would have been in line with the tariffs of district heating contracts. Each housing company could have chosen to also cool the apartments in their building.

The use of deep geothermal heat in the project did not materialise.

Cooperative housing

Housing cooperatives are a new way of producing and managing residential real estate. The tenant’s right of tenure is based on a lease agreement between the cooperative and the resident.

The condition for signing a lease agreement is that the person has acquired at least one share in the housing association.

The lease agreement and the share together are grounds for becoming a member of the cooperative. Only private persons can be members of a cooperative. The members of the cooperative are not entitled to transfer the lease right further, with minor exceptions.

The cooperative is financed by a loan guaranteed by the state and, according to preliminary information, the residents’ financing share is 10% of the total value of the apartment. The goal is for self-financing to make the monthly rent of the apartment about 15% cheaper than a similarly priced, privately financed rental apartment. The rent follows the actual costs incurred. Loan repayments protect against rising costs.

The most important aspects of the pilot project to be tested are:

• A new form of financing and management (a rental right cooperative called a housing cooperative).
• Using a guarantee loan to finance a cooperative owned and managed
  by the tenants themselves
• Bridge financing to keep residents’ membership fees reasonable, but 
  guarantee payments to service providers in accordance with the progress of the project
• Establishing a cooperative as part of the construction project and residents joining the co-operative directly.

During the project, a report will be produced on how the incorporation of residents during the construction phase has progressed. The questions to be examined are what kind of influence residents have been offered and what expectations they have of the new model. After the project is completed, a progress report will report on whether the management form has had an impact on the price of housing and how the process of construction, establishment and incorporation has gone from the residents’ point of view.
 

Liberty Life Concept

The objective of the LLC concept (Liberty Life Concept) was to create a privately financed housing company whose planning and lifecycle approach would have taken into account the natural increase in service needs due to the ageing of residents. The concept was also intended to examine whether shareholders could, if they so wished, finance their own share of care services by buying an additional rental apartment in the same property.

The LLC concept in the project was not realised. One of the reasons for the failure was that the utilisation of deep geothermal heat in the block was not successful. The number of apartments in the property was also smaller than planned, which affected the realisation of the concept. However, the project succeeded in paying attention to details related to apartment floor plans, comfort and functionality, such as easy-to-clean materials and lighting, which support senior living.

Developer: ATT
Partners: Rakennusliike Reponen Oy, Arkkitehtitoimisto Vuorelma Arkkitehdit Oy
Viikinmäki, Hernepellontie 26
Completed in 2011

The project created a procedure for the construction and implementation of low-emission and low-energy buildings in Helsinki. The project was carried out as a collaborative project, in which the developer’s goals were defined as precisely as possible.

Low-energy issues were taken into account in elements such as structures (insulation thickness and materials), ventilation (heat recovery) and heating type (air heating). The opportunities for sustainable development and energy saving were researched and refined to suit the nature of the site.

The design and building services engineering for the building took into account, among other things, the following:

• Apartment-specific technology was moved to centralised shafts that can be accessed directly from the stairwell. Maintenance operations are carried out through the stairwell.
• The supply air is drawn into the building from the cool northeast side of the stairwell and is routed to the apartment-specific technical shafts in the stairwell.
• The exhaust air from both car parks is centrally extracted through the technical space reserved at the back of the central stairwell and led directly above the roof.
• Balconies are supported as an independent structure, preventing thermal bridges that would penetrate the facade and structural elements. The balconies are braced at their front edges with metal screens that add to the structure of the facades and, together with the glazing, create the building’s exterior design.
• Balconies facing southeast and southwest are fully glazed, and their depth is designed to provide shade from excessive sunlight during the warmest part of summer. Glazing reflects solar radiation and dampens traffic noise. The utilisation of solar energy has been taken into account with reserved space for solar panels on the roofs of the apartment buildings. It is also possible to integrate solar panels into the metal screen structures on the balconies.
• All windows and glazed doors are Class A low-energy windows.

Developer: ATT
Partner: Arkkitehtitoimisto HMV Oy
Jätkäsaari, Suezinkatu 8, Kap Hornin katu 7
Completed in 2012

The project examined decoupling the cost of parking spaces in the context of apartment sales. During the sales phase, some of the apartments were connected to a parking space at real cost. The block is located next to good public transport connections. Approximately 65 per cent of the parking spaces required by the plan were implemented.

Separate shares were created for the parking spaces.

Developer: YIT
Partners: YIT Kiinteistötekniikka Oy, Arkkitehdit NRT Oy
Lauttasaari, Purjeentekijänkuja 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13
Completed in 2014

The block represents a new kind of maritime urban housing in Helsinki. Seven housing companies were created in the block, all with advanced air-conditioning, heating and cooling technology and a great location. This unique block culminates at the shore with two-storey homes that are partly built over the water.

The project provided high-quality and ecologically sustainable living spaces and created an easy-to-use interface for the residents to control heating, cooling and ventilation using the potential of modern automation systems. During the summer months, the energy in seawater is harnessed for cooling.

The system’s monitoring data helps guide residents towards more energy-efficient consumption habits. The apartments are equipped with an automation system that centrally controls ventilation, heating, cooling, seawater and water measurement systems. With this system, it is possible to accurately and individually adjust all rooms according to the residents’ choice using an easy user interface.

The property is connected to a service that monitors functionality for each property, apartment and room. The measurement data produced by the system is stored and analysed.

Architecturally and technologically, the project is an ambitious design. The building complex forms a comb-shaped composition that terraces down towards the beach. The outermost parts of the building are two storeys high and extend over the sea in three separate pier-supported sections. Total floor area: 21,000 m2 with 225 apartments.

Developer: TA Right of Occupancy
Partners: NEAPO Oy and Arkkitehtitoimisto Hedman & Matomäki Oy
Myllypuro, Kivensilmänkuja 6
Completed in 2012

This project implemented Finland’s first modular apartment building from prefabricated housing modules.

The apartments were built and furnished in a factory so that one apartment was one module. The lift tower and staircase modules were also manufactured in a similar way. The modules were assembled into an apartment building on the plot, and the building was finished on site. 
 

Builder: Hartela
Haaga, Eliel Saarisen tie 42
Completed in 2019

This project researched and developed a new type of construction process and the structural and building technology solutions required for it. The project also explored the attractiveness of themed housing, with a particular focus on apartment housing that meets the expectations of families with children.

A new process was created for housing sales and production, in which the buyer can tailor the apartment’s floor plan and furnishings up until the erection of the structural frame. At the same time, the solution enables a new kind of flexibility throughout the life cycle of the building, both in terms of uses and spatial arrangements. The project was implemented with a raised floor system, where the building services run under the raised floor, allowing for flexible modification of the spaces even after the completion of the building.

A customer survey was carried out, which played an important role in the project design. The customer survey particularly highlighted the functionality of the common areas and the importance of a well-planned end result. In the project, apartment buyers were also involved in the design of common areas.

Developer: VVO-yhtymä Oyj
Partner: Arkkitehtitoimisto HMV Oy
Jätkäsaari, Juutinraumankatu 10
Completed in 2013

This project created a new, more qualitatively advanced model for smaller apartments and the apartment blocks that house them than the established models for apartment types. The starting point for the development of this model was the concept of ‘slow housing’.

The high-quality small apartment in an apartment building without parking spaces has been named Preesens. The innovation in this housing solution was a small studio apartment (around 40–50+ m²) based on a meandering space with alcove-like projections. In addition, the solution examined the relationship between the interior and exterior space of the apartment, as well as the functionality of the spaces that serve the residents, with a special focus on the number and quality of bicycle spaces.
 

Developer: TA Rakennuttaja Oy
Partners: Helsingin Energia, Vapo Oy, Arkkitehtitoimisto Pekka Helin & Co Oy
Kivikko, Kivikonkaari 38 and 40, Muinaisrannantie 3; as reference projects: Tähtisaranpolku 3 and Muinaisrannantie 7
Completed in 2018

This project aimed to minimise total electricity (primary energy) consumption.
The project was designed and built to meet Class A energy-efficiency requirements. The solutions also take into account summertime sun protection.

Primary energy consumption is minimised by, for example:

• building communal saunas instead of individual saunas and mainly heating spaces with underfloor heating using low-temperature water circulation
• minimising energy consumption from electrical appliances by equipping apartment-specific underfloor heating and ventilation equipment with a home/away switch
• equipping apartments, saunas and club facilities with pellet stoves, capturing heat from the pellet stoves in communal saunas for use in warming the water used in the sauna facilities. The use of pellets in apartment-specific fireplaces and communal saunas complements district heating and reduces electricity consumption. The pellet maintenance system is built specifically for each building.

The energy use of the property will be monitored for two to three years after the buildings are completed. Energy use will be compared to the energy consumption of what are known as ‘passive buildings’, e.g., the passive building project of TA-Rakennuttaja Oy in Oulu and a project in Kerava, which is otherwise of the same type and with the same specifications but without the above-mentioned Primääripihi theme.

The Primääripihi Apartment Building received the World Architecture News 2018 award.

Developer: A-Kruunu Oy, Yrjö and Hanna Foundation, Rakennusliike Reponen Oy
Partner: VTT
Kuninkaantammi, Taidemaalarinkatu 4, 6
Completed in 2018

This project compared the differences between wooden and concrete-framed apartment buildings during the design and construction phases, as well as during use. The buildings are located on adjacent plots with similar local detailed plans. The spatial programmes and design solutions for the buildings are almost identical, except for the materials.  Both plots have an underground car park and basement facilities, which have been built on both plots using concrete and the same structural system.

The study compared the time spent on design and construction, the carbon footprint of the buildings, changes in humidity inside the structures after commissioning, and resident satisfaction.

According to the results, the carbon emissions from the building materials were 20 per cent lower in the wooden building than a concrete one. When energy consumption was also taken into account during the 100-year life cycle, the emissions of the wooden apartment building were six per cent lower. The design process was faster for the concrete building, while construction was faster for the wooden building. Residents were equally satisfied at both buildings.

Developer: A-Kruunu Oy
Partner: Arkkitehtuuri- ja muotoilutoimisto Talli Oy
Kruunuvuorenranta
2016–2021

This project developed a group renting concept suitable for interest-subsidised housing production. The social apartment model, aimed mainly at single-person households, provides an opportunity to share a rented apartment with people who are either acquaintances or strangers.

This concept created a new type of housing with a spatial solution that combines private and shared space in a way that allows residents access to increasingly versatile spaces at a rent equivalent to that of a studio apartment. Shared living spaces create a framework for the emergence of social residential communities, which is an important part of the concept.

Based on the follow-up survey carried out for the project’s final report, the residents of group rental apartments are satisfied with the rental process and their own opportunities to influence the formation of a community and its decision-making. Group rental housing has met or even exceeded resident expectations.

According to the final report, the model can also be replicated and expanded beyond single-person households. At its best, the concept benefits developers with lower construction costs for studio apartments and, at the same time, also benefits residents through lower housing costs and higher-quality housing with more social and spatial amenities compared to studios.

Future concept development will also investigate the impact of location on the attractiveness of group housing, suitable spatial models for group rentals, adaptability, tenant selection mechanisms and rental practices.

Developer: Setlementti-asunnot Oy, HOAS, Asuntosäätiö
Partners: CityInnoNets Project (Tekes, 2010–2011): Helsinki Deaconess Institute’s Hoiva Oy, HSL, Seulo Palvelut Oy, Tekes, Movense Oy, Ministry of the Environment, Aalto University, CIN Project (ARA, 2012): Helsinki Deaconess Institute’s Hoiva Oy, HSL, Seulo Palvelut Oy, Tekes, Movense Oy, Ministry of the Environment, Aalto University, Arkkitehtitoimisto Hedman & Matomäki Oy
Jätkäsaari, Länsisatamankatu 34, Hyväntoivonkatu 6, Hyväntoivonkatu 8
Completed in 2016

This project aimed to investigate the innovativeness of housing in several different operational areas through experimental construction.

The objectives for developing the block were:

1. Network management, bringing urban innovations down to the block level
2. The housing and service concept for the block; the creation of a service concept using a user-oriented process.

Another original development theme was modular architecture, which entailed the development of modular prefabricated building technologies in an urban environment. After the module supplier withdrew from the project, modular construction was abandoned on the block.

The block was designed with spaces and an operating model for resident-oriented, multi-generational and international block housing, with its core elements being the inner street, communal courtyard, centralised services and housing allocated to the upper floors.

Diverse urban housing was implemented in the block: rental apartments for students, seniors and people with disabilities, as well as Hitas owner-occupied housing.

Developer: Asuntosäätiö, Kojamo, Fira
Partners: Helen Ltd
Kalasatama, Fregatti Dygden kuja 4, Sompasaarenlaituri, Kaljaasi Fortunan katu
2016–2021

This project is an energy-efficient housing block where, for the first time, buildings have been designed to maximise overall energy efficiency at both the system and property levels. According to a report by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the new design concept will allow the share of renewable energy in the total heating demand of the property to reach 55 per cent.  The design used the SunZeb solution developed by VTT, which is based on using solar energy and recycling excess heat in the district heating and cooling network.

In new buildings, managing heat and energy flows will become increasingly important in the future. In the past, energy flows have been treated separately at the property or system level. Although the energy production of the Helsinki area, combined with energy-efficient buildings, was awarded in 2015 as the most energy-efficient solution in the world, there is still room to further develop the cooperation between properties and the energy system.

Especially in summer, excess heat accumulates in buildings. Despite solar protection measures and advanced building technology, current building regulations often require new zero-energy buildings to expel this excess heat from their properties.  It has traditionally been thought that this waste heat cannot be utilised. The only alternative has been to release this energy into the atmosphere, where it goes to waste.

In the new concept, large window surfaces let the sunlight and heat in optimally during summer and winter. Solar energy and other forms of waste energy is collected through district cooling, making the building a source of renewable energy. Previously, the new system was used in buildings based on the old design philosophy.

The nearly zero-energy buildings, connected to an evolving district heating and cooling system, will also bring a new look to the future cityscape. In the new near-zero energy solutions implemented with the SUNZEB concept, large bright windows can be the preferred option. In combined heating and cooling using heat pumps, cooling buildings will no longer be a waste of energy in the future, but a way to capture energy. This will significantly increase the use of renewable energy in the urban area. Various energy flows are separated and processed to the appropriate temperatures at the heat pump plant, making them available again to city residents – for cooling, heating, and hot water.

The energy collected from cooling can be utilised, which is made possible by advanced windows and technical building systems combined with a regional CHC (Combined Heat and Cooling) system. Utilising new technology and integrating various systems will raise the energy efficiency of buildings to a new level – while also increasing service levels and comfort.

Planning: KUMP Arkkitehdit, Arkkitehtuuri- ja muotoilutoimisto Talli and Arkkitehtitoimisto A-konsultit
Developers: A-Kruunu and Asuntosäätiö
Builder: JVR Structures
Completed in 2024

A wooden block of flats with five stairwells and approximately 200 apartments was built in Helsinki’s Postipuisto. The Asuntosäätiö will develop the right-of-occupancy apartments and A-Kruunu the rental apartments. The project is included in the Re-thinking Urban Housing Programme under three different themes: a wooden apartment building in an urban closed block, communality at different scales and new housing design solutions.

The project explores the use of shared spaces, from a communal building in the area to shared spaces in the stairwell. New types of shared spaces are being built to meet the changing challenges of modern urban living. The apartments in the block range in size from studios to five-room units, with an average floor area of approximately 55 square metres. Common areas and conservatories are planned for each stairwell in the block.

There are light courts between the buildings in the block that allow natural light to enter. At the same time, the surrounding residential blocks and street spaces will receive more natural light than if the block were completely enclosed. The solution promotes comfortable and bright living, even in small apartments, and allows for interesting and extensive views.

The plan follows the principles of the ‘Prose’ proposal, which was the winner of the Housing Reform Helsinki – Housing 2020 competition. The competition was organised by the City of Helsinki, the Ministry of the Environment, the Alvar Aalto Foundation and the Finnish Association of Architects (SAFA) in 2018, with the aim of exploring future housing solutions and the possibilities of urban wood construction.

Developer: A-Kruunu Oy
Partners: INARO, Johanna Lilius / Aalto University
Kalasatama, Fregatti Dygdenin kuja 4
Completed in 2019

The number of families with children moving to the inner city has been on the rise, and there is a growing demand for affordable housing in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. There has been a change in family structures, which has so far not been reflected in housing solutions. At the beginning of the project, a literature survey was carried out on the changed needs of urban families with children. In the next stage, a resident survey was carried out, which included interviews and resident workshops. This mapped out the core themes for development. The acquired knowledge was applied in the design. The core themes ensured that the design addresses the issues relevant to housing for families with children.

The core themes and the design solutions derived from them were:

• Versatile housing types: a variety of apartment types; detached houses in apartment buildings
• Housing costs: efficiency of apartment layouts; structural and facade solutions
• Flexibility: multifunctionality (hall and rooms logic); ‘porch’; neutrally sized bedrooms and storage space; alcoves
• Functional details: furniture in the apartment entryways; mudrooms in the stairwells; fairly large balconies; playground and outdoor furniture for children of different ages; a reservation system for common areas; location of common areas at the courtyard level; storage space for belongings adjacent to the apartments
   

Based on the report, the apartment building in Sompasaari was designed and constructed with the needs of families with children in mind. The design solutions aimed to be innovative and to create high-quality architecture, affordable construction and housing costs, and a socially diverse and communal environment.
Approximately one year after the completion of the property, a further survey on resident experiences of living there was carried out using a survey and interviews.

The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and the residents were satisfied with their homes. The design solutions chosen to meet the needs identified in the original report – multi-purpose alcoves, fairly large balconies, porches in the apartments, mudrooms in stairwells and storage spaces for belongings adjacent to the apartments – were well received by residents in the survey and interviews.

Residents appreciated the fact that the needs of families with children had been taken into account in the design. The report found that housing solutions divide opinions, and people have different preferences and needs. This supports the notion that one type of home cannot meet everyone’s needs and that adaptability is an important feature of homes.

Project implementation: TA-Rakennuttaja Oy, Rakennusliike Reponen Oy, Arkkitehtuuritoimisto Talli Oy; courtyard design: LOCI landscape architects Oy; landscaping contractor: Työyhteenliittymä Vihermali Oy & Koiviston Vihertyö Oy; ideation, draft plans, plant plans: Roslings Manor Gardens
Partners: University of Helsinki, Aalto University
Jätkäsaari, Länsisatamankatu 36, Hyväntoivonkatu 4
Completed in 2017

The aim was to investigate the functionality of green roofs on apartment buildings through experimental construction. Among other things, the project investigated how a green roof functions as mechanical protection for the roof covering and its impact on the volume and quality of stormwater. The use of green roofs as rooftop gardens and their impact on living comfort and communality were also studied. The greening of the facades and its impact on the exterior architecture of the buildings and overheating during summer months were also studied. In addition, plant species suitable for landscaping and related technical solutions were investigated.

The Greenest of the Green was awarded The Scandinavian Green Roof Award 2018 and the Rakentamisen Ruusu Award. 

Project implementation: Etera
Partners: Peab Oy, Finnforest, Arkkitehtitoimisto HMV Oy
Viikki, Von Daehnin katu 8 and 12
Completed in 2013

The aim of this development project was to productise and demonstrate the competitiveness of a prefabricated wood-framed low-rise apartment system. The development project was led by the wood products industry (Finnforest), which resulted in a wooden low-rise apartment product offered as a ready-made service concept.

During the project, the production efficiency of a new apartment system based on prefabricated wood elements was increased, as was the efficiency of the entire wood construction project. The open pillar column-beam system also allows for genuine adaptability.