The winner and runner-ups of the Helsinki Central Library’s The Heart of the Metropolis architectural competition will be announced on the 14th of June. 

The information of the winner will be presented in the competition web site, the Central Library web site and in the web site of Helsinki City Library.

The public can see the winner and the runner-ups in the lounge of the Music Centre 14th of June between 12 – 3pm and in the Plot Party in the green terrace in front of the Music Centre from 12 to 6pm. In the Plot Party’s tents people can also get to know with the future library.

Central Library’s library bikes will ride in the streets of Helsinki 13th to 14th of June between 10 – 6pm. The citizens can see the library bikes presenting the contents of future library. There will be a bike presenting childrens’-, music-, novelties-, game and information contents.

The winners can also be seen in an exhibition in Jätkäsaari Bunkkeri during 15th to 20th of June. The exhibition will  also present the other 540 entries, that took part in the competition.

For more information: 

• Architectural competition

There’s much excitement in the air – the winner of The Heart of the Metropolis — Helsinki Central Library Architectural Competition will be announced on 14 June. For a long time now, the new-generation library has been in the process of planning together with residents. Therefore, we want to be where everyone is on this festive occasion.

The library belongs where all people are, on the streets and in the alleys, wherever people get together, run their errands and live their lives. The Central Library is taking the skills, information and stories of a library to the people with the help of six bikes, and is inviting them to discover the new and exciting possibilities of doing things together.

The bikes will ride the streets of Helsinki on 13–14 June from 10 am to 6 pm. Library employees will ride among the people as navigators of stories and information, cycling encyclopaedias and good-mood ambassadors through the streets and alleys. You may spot the children’s bike or the music one, the game, classic or information bike or the one showcasing recent publications.

The library bikes will ”make a pit stop” in front of the Helsinki Music Centre at the Plot Party on 14 June from 12noon to 6pm. The party tents will introduce the Central Library to city residents. There will be demos, e-library contents, interviews, party atmosphere, music and a programme of activities. The award-winning entries can be explored in the foyer of the Helsinki Music Centre between 12noon and 3pm.

That’s pretty good for a library that doesn’t even exist yet, don’t you think? Come and join us – the Central Library is airing its contents.

Two library bikes will remain at the Helsinki City Library for permanent use and can be spotted during the summer on the streets, at events and in urban fields.

Share your wishes and ideas!

What do you want us to pack on the library bikes? Where would you like to see the library bikes? The bikes will ride in the city centre, within the area bordered by Ruoholahti, Alppila, Meilahti and Hermanni.

What do you want the new-generation library contain? Tell us. We are developing the new library openly and in co-operation with city residents. It is our wish to make all opinions visible in the design process.

Join us!

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• Helsinki City Library

The Heart of the Metropolis — Helsinki Central Library Architectural Competition results will be announced separately. The winning entry and the award-winning entries will be displayed on the websites of the architectural competition, Central Library and Helsinki City Library.

Photos: Jonas Tana/ Helsinki City Library

The architectural competition for a building for the Helsinki Central Library has been completed. In all, there were 544 entries. The winner is an entry called Käännös. No second prize was awarded. Entries called Liblab and Kasi were awarded a shared third prize. Additionally, five honourable mentions were awarded.

Six entries were selected for stage 2 of the competition in November last year. As winner the jury selected Käännös entered by ALA Architects Ltd. The winner was announced earlier this morning at the Helsinki Music Centre.

The jury describes Käännös as impressive and casually generous. Käännös is an excellent starting point when it comes to developing new kinds of library functions.

Furthermore, the jury emphasizes that the building addresses you in a unique manner and has every chance of becoming a new monumental building that the Helsinkians, those using the library and the employees consider their own.  

The decision of the jury was unanimous. According to the evaluation protocol, Helsinki is going to have an urban space which being surrounded by architectonically high-class buildings is exceptionally grand and modern on an international level. The library building now has the purpose of making the eastern side of the open space complete.

According to the jury, Käännös serves the intention excellently. This entry was also one of the public’s favourites in a playful vote during stage 1 of the competition.

The first prize is 50,000 euros. The jury unanimously recommends that ALA Architects Ltd should be given the commission to design the building for the Central Library.

A fantastic, ecologically efficient modern wooden house in the centre of Helsinki 

In addition to the entries being evaluated on the basis of architecture, it was emphasized that the building should fit into the valuable place and the urban structure. Other key evaluation criteria were usability, ecological sustainability and feasibility.

“The demands on ecological efficiency were especially high in this architectural competition, The Heart of the Metropolis,” says Deputy Mayor Ritva Viljanen, who was chairperson of the jury.

The architecture of the building must stand up to time and be right for the location opposite the Parliament House.

According to Deputy Mayor Ritva Viljanen, the Central Library will complete the Töölönlahti area with its cultural buildings and bring to it an art form that is now missing, literary art and literature.   

Shared third prize to impressive Liblab and appealing Kasi

No second prize was awarded. Playa Architects Ltd (Liblab) and Verstas Architects Ltd (Kasi) were awarded a shared third prize.

“When it comes to architecture, cityscape, functionality and ecological sustainability, the winner, Käännös, no doubt surpasses the other entries. Therefore, the jury decided to place it higher than the next two entries“, says Deputy Mayor Ritva Viljanen.

The jury finds that the Liblab building is not only distinct and sculptural but also suitable for public purposes and appreciates that it has well-thought-out glass surfaces in the most important directions, towards Kansalaistori and Töölönlahti. The building fills its place and makes the urban space complete in an impressive way.

According to the jury, the Kasi building is appealing and approachable. The separating walls and the ceiling in the entrance hall on ground level are covered with curved massive wooden elements. The impression is attractive and imposing.

Those sharing the third prize got 31,500 euros each. Additionally, the jury decided to give five honourable mentions, to Through the Looking Glass, Illuminaatio, The Heartbeat of Helsinki, Cultural incubator and Helsinki Link.

The best entries will pay a quick visit to the Music Centre on 14 June

The winner, the other entries selected for stage 2 of the competition and those awarded honourable mentions will be on display in the lobby of the Music Centre for three hours after the ceremony where the winner is announced, from noon to 3 p.m. on 14 June.

All entries will be on display in the Bunker in Jätkäsaari, Tarmonkuja 2, 3rd floor, 15–20 June from noon to 7 p.m.

The Library Bikes invite everybody to a Plot Party

In honour of the Central Library, a Plot Party where everybody is welcome will be arranged in front of the Music Centre the same day that the winner of the architectural competition is announced, 14 June. There will be things to do for both children and adults from noon to 6 p.m.

A representative of the winner of the competition will be interviewed at the party tents from 12.15 to 12.40. The event is free of charge.

The Central Library wants to bring its knowledge, skills and stories to where people gather and, therefore, six Library Bikes will be moving about on 13–14 June from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We have been planning a library for this day and age over a long time and feel that on this festive occasion our place is where people are.

Information about the architectural competition and illustrations of the awarded entries:
kilpailu.keskustakirjasto.fi

Read more!

• Library bikes & Plot Party 13.-14.6.

Stories, activities and joyous birthday fun! All that will be on offer in autumn 2013, when Helsinki City Library tests a new service that offers families the opportunity to hold an unforgettable birthday party at the library. The storybook birthday parties will be held at the Rikhardinkatu Library in October and November and are intended for children aged between 6 and 10.

There are three themes for the birthday girl or boy to choose from: circus, pirates and princesses. A storybook birthday party involves adventures in the world of stories, zoetrope animations, story customisation, games, singing and naturally also delicious birthday food! The library will organise the content, programme and props to match the theme while the parents will be in charge of the food and drink. There will also be an opportunity to take the best ever birthday pictures against a themed backdrop!

The storybook birthday party is a free-of-charge activity planned by the city residents, a pilot project created as a result of participatory budgeting. The aim is to establish the birthday parties as a regular service offered by the library to families with children.

The birthday parties can be booked from September onwards through the library website, so stay tuned!

Read more:

• Central Library – participatory budgeting

Photos: Satu Haavisto/ Helsinki City Library

Now we know what it looks like! Many people were smiling to themselves when the winner of the Central Library architectural competition was announced. Establishing the winning entry, ‘Käännös’ by ALA Architects, was another concrete step on the way to a new, splendid library on the shore of Töölönlahti Bay. The library is due to be completed in five years’ time.

What will this library be like? Janne Teräsvirta and Antti Nousjoki, two of the four founding architect members of ALA Architects (besides Juho Grönholm and Samuli Woolston) introduce Käännös, which may look like this on a beautiful winter day.

ALA wasted no time

The Central Library architectural competition panel’s decision was unanimous and the winning entry has also pleased other Helsinki residents. Not to mention the creators of the idea.

“We had great faith in our idea and its potential to complete the visual landscape of Töölönlahti Bay,” says Janne Teräsvirta. “This was a competition of suitability rather than superiority or beauty. The package that won was the most functional in terms of further planning. I feel Käännös was chosen because it follows the rules and matches the style of the rest of the area while offering dramatic appeal,” says Antti Nousjoki.

Janne describes the design outcome as a result of intense conversation. “Bold arguments and fighting, if necessary, usually produce good results.”According to Antti, the design process was a lengthy one. “Our processes tend to be heavy. A huge number of sketches were discarded this time, too. I am glad that each hour, no matter how slow the progress, was purely useful. The outcome should show our sweat but not the smell of it!”

Antti Nousjoki produced designs for a library as his thesis and it was evident from an early point that ALA would participate in the Central Library competition. ALA’s strengths include designing impressive, centrally located public buildings.

Three-fold content

All owner members and a team of approximately ten other architects and visualisation experts took part in designing Käännös.“Our original idea for the outward appearance of the library was connected with Töölönlahti Bay. We want to integrate the library into a visual continuum while opening new connections in different directions. The library has several entrances, which benefit Kansalaistori Square, the nearby park and the liveliness of Mannerheimintie,” says Janne Teräsvirta.

He stresses the inviting, activating and functional nature of the library. “We examined the library building idea in terms of the functionality of other buildings in the vicinity. We divided the idea content into three sections: a traditional library, a functional library and a continuation of public space. A traditional library means books; preserving them, borrowing them and reading them. Functionality entails workshops and facilities for activities. As a part of the public space, the library includes cafés, a restaurant, a large hall, a cinema and sauna facilities.

The actual building is also divided into three sections with distinct atmospheres. “Our idea was to build three storeys, one on top of the other. The first floor is an open, spacious public space, including a lobby, a hall, exhibition space, a restaurant, and other leisurely spaces. The second floor could be described as ‘a closed mass’. It combines small, functional facilities that can be shared or closed for joint activities, learning through practice and different hobbies, such as music practice or handicrafts. The third floor, the top of the box, is another extensive, light, breathing and tranquil library space.”

“These three main levels are the clear, strong and permanent foundation of our plan. This foundation easily inspired further ideas for functionality,” says Antti Nousjoki.

Architectural undulation

Käännös entails interesting architectural solutions and materials. Undulation and a floating quality lay at the heart of its visual aspect. Wood and glass are effectively combined into a mix of the traditional and the modern.

“The top floor rises uphill, offering a good view of the entire space. Simultaneously, the top floor is a place to admire a scenic view of the main attractions by Töölönlahti Bay. We have sought to create intimacy in a large space through variations in floor and ceiling height,” says Janne. “The scale of the top floor is going to come as a surprise to everyone. The space is extremely long and startlingly open, not the kind of a public interior space people are used to seeing in Finland,” says Antti.

The middle floor is intimate by default. “The second floor gets a limited supply of light and includes many structures, only with small areas and single nooks and crannies in between. Colours can be used to decorate. The other floors are primarily light‑ and wood‑coloured,” says Janne.

The first floor, including the entrances, will be a continuum of Töölönlahti. According to Antti, the space outside of the main entrance, including stages and meeting spots, was designed as the most active part of the building, as a space that “immediately displays what is going on around the world”. “The space has a wonderfully hectic and comprehensive pulse. Rather like a big, well‑tended store.”

The Central Library has also been designed as an ecologically functional building. “Using wood as a material does not necessarily mean an ecological building, but the Töölönlahti environment encourages the use of wood. While the area includes a lot of cold materials, such as glass and metal, the milieu retains a park‑like atmosphere. I would like to see wood construction develop more rapidly in Finland. I guess people are often worried that wood is not a sufficiently urban material. We want to showcase wood,” says Teräsvirta and mentions the Kilden Performing Arts Centre in Norway as an example of ALA’s design work. Many have claimed that the concert hall is a predecessor of the library and Janne Teräsniska is willing to admit to a certain stylistic similarity, including complex geometry and wooden architecture.

A balcony over Töölönlahti Bay

The library balcony is the most striking architectural element of the building. It connects the library to the Kansalaistori Square and the other buildings and park environment in Töölönlahti. The balcony is place just to be, read, chat and have coffee. “Below the balcony, there is a spacious covered area designed with acoustic properties and the surrounding weather conditions in mind. It would be possible to organise outdoor concerts there, for example,” says Teräsvirta.

The children’s facilities also seem interesting. “They comprise a few smaller spaces, most of which will be constructed in a scale suitable for children.”

And what about the infamous plans for a sauna? “First, we thought about putting a sauna in the old warehouse building, then in the library basement. In the current designs, the sauna is located on the second floor. However, it is still a mobile component. As an object of international interest, it needs to be of sufficiently good quality and viable too – and hopefully include a chance to cool off. One possible scenario is a spa‑like basement sauna with an independent street‑level entrance. However, we must bear in mind that the costs are limited,” says Antti Nousjoki.

The name ‘Käännös’ (‘turn, translation’) has an explanation. “It refers to both the architectural shape of the building and a literary translation. I might add that it is a slight reference to our desire to introduce something new into Finnish architecture; a turn towards a direction or a style that has not been seen in a while,” says Janne.

Antti feels that changes are taking place in terms of content as well. “I believe that the Central Library will become a more profitable space compared with previous libraries. People will come to the library to work, for example on remote working days, and to meet with colleagues and customers. The atmosphere and technology of the library must allow for such usage.”

Quick, implement!

Right now, the ALA crew is waiting. After New Year, the design work will once more be kick‑started as structural engineers and a large team of other experts start converting images into reality.

“We have set our goals and are ready to begin the actual design process. The floor is free and any guesswork needs to be converted into functional characteristics. A lot modification will be needed, but the basic idea is clear. For example, the exact heights of the roof have not been decided, which gives us a lot of flexibility,” says Janne.

“Our team has toured different library buildings for years. We all agree that a library is a strong representation of the prevailing state of mind in a country. This is the first library building we have designed together and we are excited to be involved in such significant public design work, particularly to build a library,” say the architects.

“One of our basic ideas is for the library to offer a natural setting for thousands of people to gather together, as well as a facility for a more intimate experience. A geometrically complex construction can be functional, simple and inviting. We hope that, in Käännös, we have succeeded in designing a building people will feel attracted to visit.”

Read more!

• Käännös is a multidimensional building (webpage)
• Interview with architect Antti Nousjoki (video)
• Key Information (webpage)
• Frequently asked questions (webpage)

The Library designed, Stara built and the Multicoloured Dreams team finished a 40-metre long and 2.5-metre high city art wall and game board situated in Kansalaistori Square at the Central Library site. It formed the City Wheel (Kaupunkihyrrä) game, unveiled on 16 June. The wheel will mark the location planned for the Central Library in Töölönlahti and amuse the people enjoying summer in the city.

The game combines traditional party games, art intervention and actions for a better city. The City Wheel encourages people to share the joy of play and discovery, turn the city into a living room and find new dimensions in Helsinki. It also provides information and a taste of what the library of the new era will offer.

The City Wheel located in the middle of a 40-metre long and 2.5-metre high wall is spun like the wheel of fortune and will give its spinner activating tasks and questions related to the city and culture. Anybody can play the game, whenever they want to, and no other equipment is needed. In some of the tasks, a smart phone can help.

Come and enjoy the Helsinki outdoor season by spinning around.

The Töölönlahti area has been in the headlines quite a lot lately. It embodies the many kinds of hopes related to public urban space that is open for all: after all it is about to turn into an entire cultural campus, and the new Central Library will be a part of it.

“Come and spin the wheel! It’s a homage to the city dwellers and all people spending a summer’s day in Töölönlahti. I hope that the City Wheel will be a source of joy amidst people’s daily lives and will also bring forth new ideas about what kind of city we would like to see Helsinki evolve into.  Kansalaistori Square has all it takes to become a place where people can spend time, do and share things together, not just pass by,” says Virve Miettinen, the Central Library’s Interaction Designer.

“As it is, the urban space is also a sort of a visual forum, a location for lively dialogue: the way that market places and agoras have always been. The City Wheel is one message among many – but it also includes an interactive element. If an urban environment was considered social media, could it make people communicate more with strangers live and in person?” asks Elissa Eriksson, a member of the Multicoloured Dreams street art team. In 2011, Erikkson completed her Haluan nähdä muutakin (I want to see more ) campaign.

The new Central Library is planned to be located at Töölönlahti

With the Central Library, an exceptionally fine, modern urban space is in the process of being created in Helsinki; the space includes the Parliament Building, the Music Centre, the Finlandia Hall, the Sanoma House, the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, and the Central Library. The Central Library is being planned to become a building that serves as the focus of the genuinely public space in the Töölönlahti area.

Watch the video!

– the spirit of the storehouses and the freedom to do will be incorporated in the library

The project plan for the Helsinki Central Library is now complete and the decision-making process begins. The project plan will be processed by the Cultural and Library Committee on 16 September and then by the Real Estate Committee in the course of autumn. After processing by the committees, the project plan will progress to the City Board and next year to the City Council.

“The design of the Central Library has required a lot of work for a year now. I am pleased at how the project planning has progressed according to plan both in terms of contents and costs. A significant project, such as this one, also requires time for the decision-making process and we have allocated six months for the process. So, the construction could start in the autumn of 2015”, says Deputy Mayor Ritva Viljanen who is also the Chairperson of the Steering Group for the project.

“The Central Library together with the possibilities to learn, create and participate that it embodies challenge Parliament as an equal. When the users of the library stand on the library’s balcony that will cover an area of more than 1,000 m², they will look directly at Parliament, since the balcony will be at the same height as the steps of Parliament House. The Central Library will become a stage for people to be free to do things. At the same time, it will make a powerful statement on behalf of all libraries”, says Viljanen.

The Central Library has been nominated as the prominent project of the year celebrating Finland’s 100 years of independence. The State has made a commitment to finance the project with a significant share of €30,000,000.

The project plan presents, among other things, the construction schedule, building scope and costs of the Central Library as well as the targeted level of quality.

Since the architectural competition ended last year with ALA Architects winning, the design team has been working intensively to refine the designs.

Architectural masterpiece and ecological building

The structural solution of the Central Library, that was considered challenging, has been further developed during the preparation of the project plan. The Central Library will be an ecological building with a small carbon footprint. The carbon footprint of the building materials meets the goal set by the architectural competition, and the energy consumption goal has been further tightened. The unique architectural outline of the building with its cloud-like roofs and warm wooden facades will put the finishing touches on the Eastern edge of Kansalaistori Square.

The Real Estate Department Premises Centre has initiated a dialogue with actors in the woodworking industry in order to discuss the technical solution options for the large wooden facade.

Space open to all

The Central Library will become a shared living room of residents that is non-commercial, public, open to all as well as a space of digital information and diverse activities. The library will continue planning the services and operations of the Central Library together with city residents. The operations of the development community, i.e. the Friends of the Central Library, will be launched this autumn. This is a way for the library staff to invite city residents to discuss the specific design issues of the Central Library with them.

As a new element, the library’s operations will also include a service (tested in the Labrary project) where city residents can explore new innovations and their productisations as well as to give feedback to their creators.

Further information

• The project plan, 12 September 2014 
• Images of the Central Library: keskustakirjasto.fi/yhteystiedot/medialle/
• Watch the video: http://vimeo.com/105949543

Watch the video as it takes you inside the Central Library. You’ll see a new type of library designed by ALA Architects. The layout is divided into 3 parts:

– 1st floor is the central service station for those on the go
– 2nd floor is the forge where skills and ideas come to life
– 3rd floor is the calm oasis for thought and contemplation

The first floor is an accessible and lively space where the entrance and service points meet. It includes the lobby, an exhibition area, a library zone specifically for families, an event spot, a café and restaurant, and a space just to hang around. This ground floor will be the most active environment in the library, where the confluence of the city and the library will flow together.

The second floor is for hands-on activities. It is a place for working, creating, interacting and learning-by-doing. Here you will find studios, gaming rooms, a makerspace, a kitchen, and areas for workshops, meetings, and other interactive exchanges. These areas will be functional, with the option to make divided or enclosed areas as needed. They will be ideal for working, organizing meetings, testing ideas, editing videos or creating objects with 3D printers.

The third floor is designed for the individual and one’s own thoughts. It is a tranquil area for relaxing and concentrating. Under the cloud-like ceiling one can study, escape from hectic routines, or just admire the view of the city. This area provides the ideal atmosphere for the beloved pastime of reading. The majority of the library’s collection resides here, in addition to quiet reading areas, the children’s world, and the patron’s balcony.

Building of the central library begins in fall 2016 and it will be completed in 2018 to celebrate the centennial of Finnish independence. The library is the Finnish Government’s official centennial project.

Production and creators: City of Helsinki, ALA Architects and VIZarch

Library 10 has now pioneered zen tranquility. The finishing touches were completed on the new Suvanto area (meaning backwater in Finnish) at the beginning of the year. It was carried out as a result of the Central Library’s participatory budgeting project. One of the repeated wishes of citizens was to have a place where one could relax, re-energize, and to escape the cacophony of noise and sounds of the city. So how has the resulting space succeeded?

During lunch hours the Suvanto exudes tranquility. Nestled in an oversized beanbag, a lone library customer is reading. The soft thick rug has the feel and look of smooth rounded stones along a lakeshore. Shoes of course have been removed and left off to the side. In addition to the rug and bean bag, there are cushioned chairs, a yoga hammock, and three technical features.

On the Barrisol whitewall, colors blend and change fluidly. A projector brings the opposite wall alive with short videos of animals, forests, clouds, and autumn foliage. Above it all, small speakers shower individual chairs with meditative music. The combined sensory experience works wonders to provide an enticing yet relaxing atmosphere.

Yoga, relax, relaxing yoga

The customer relaxing in the beanbag that we spoke with happens to be named Marco Suvanto. What a coincidence! “I noticed this area about a month ago, especially because of the name. I like to try new things, and today I finally got a chance to come and sample a peaceful moment during lunchtime.” Marco particularly liked the changing lights and the feel of the rug. “It’s stylish and gives off a welcoming vibe,” he explains.

The rug needs to be thick for the acoustics and the sound showers to work properly. The furnishings in the Suvanto can be rearranged. One can lounge on the rug or even do yoga. One can sink into the yoga hammock and get completely swallowed up.
“One customer was relaxing in the hammock for nearly three hours and we didn’t even notice that anyone was in there,” laughs Kari Lämsä, Head of Library 10.

More food for the soul at libraries

For Marco Suvanto, he sees the library as a natural place to have a dedicated area for relaxing and re-energizing. He then takes a test dive into the yoga hammock. “The library already has a tranquil atmosphere, so having an area that takes it to the next level only seems logical. It would be too great a transition if one were to step into the Suvanto directly off the street.” He continues, “I have frequented the library as a little child, and it’s great to see the change in the library. This area is a great example of food for the soul coming in many different forms.”

Libary 10’s relaxation area was designed by the Helsinki based architect and design office of Talli Oy, with which the Helsinki City Libary has long done cooperative projects. Talli has also designed Library 10’s interior furnishings.

An ambient space for stories

At this moment the projector in the Suvanto is showing videos from YouTube, and signs prohibiting shoes and food in the area greet any newcomers.

“Because there are so many videos available from all directions, I think there could be a greater effort into what gets projected here. Also, I wish these signs prohibiting things could be done in a more creative manner, so that they don’t come across as negative“, ponders Marco as he awakens from the yoga hammock. “There could also be a small path that leads one to this area to make it more welcoming and noticeable.”

Kari Lämsä explains that the Suvanto area will be used for various purposes in the future. “One idea, for example, is to have story time sessions for children and why not adults as well? Different media works can be displayed through the projector, while the space can be used for creative art projects, or as a gallery, or for suitable performances.” The Suvanto is what customers have wished and longed for at the library. As part of the plans for the new Central Library, it shows one version of quietness.

Later in the afternoon, a group of friends are laying about. Milla, Joanna, and Ari crystallize the value of the Suvanto, “This place is great, because here one can just be. One does not have to do anything.”

Text: Siru Valleala

The construction of the Helsinki Central Library started, when the bucket of the excavator broke the asphalt of the construction site for the first time. Here it goes, and the construction will go on for almost three years. The steering group for the project followed this historic city moment with joy and it had invited friends of the library to join. The Chairperson of the steering group for the Helsinki Central Library project is Ritva Viljanen.

The first excavator will started digging at the Central Library construction site on 1 September.

”Helsinki is being built as a city with an increasing sense of community, as our population is growing at a good rate. The Central Library is a diversified meeting place of city culture for the people of Helsinki and for visitors. It brings us a lot of joy and culture as well as new ideas”, says Ritva Viljanen, Deputy Mayor for Education and Cultural Affairs of the City of Helsinki.

When completed, the Central Library will reach some 10,000 visitors per day and some 2.5 million visitors annually.

”The Central Library complements the exceptional library network of Helsinki, which includes the likes of the Kallio Library, the Rikhardinkatu Library as well as the Kaisa Library and the National Library, which are all attractions in their own right. The Central Library will finally bring a house of literature and literary art to the Töölönlahti cultural campus. The construction of the Central Library is both on schedule and on budget and many big tendering processes have already been completed”, says Viljanen.

The construction phase’s effect on the employment is approximately 1,200–1,500 man-years for the whole economy. The total costs for the building are € 98 million.

The Central Library will be constructed close to the Helsinki Central railway station, just off the Kansalaistori Square. It is located centrally in an urban space and conveniently by public transport connections.

The Helsinki Central Library is a part of the project honouring the centennial anniversary of Finland’s independence. The library will be completed on 6 December, 2018.

The winner and runner-ups of the Helsinki Central Library’s The Heart of the Metropolis architectural competition will be announced on the 14th of June. 

The information of the winner will be presented in the competition web site, the Central Library web site and in the web site of Helsinki City Library.

The public can see the winner and the runner-ups in the lounge of the Music Centre 14th of June between 12 – 3pm and in the Plot Party in the green terrace in front of the Music Centre from 12 to 6pm. In the Plot Party’s tents people can also get to know with the future library.

Central Library’s library bikes will ride in the streets of Helsinki 13th to 14th of June between 10 – 6pm. The citizens can see the library bikes presenting the contents of future library. There will be a bike presenting childrens’-, music-, novelties-, game and information contents.

The winners can also be seen in an exhibition in Jätkäsaari Bunkkeri during 15th to 20th of June. The exhibition will  also present the other 540 entries, that took part in the competition.

For more information: 

• Architectural competition

The new Central Library in Helsinki will open in 2018. The library will serve it’s customers in many modern and new ways. One of our ambitions is to have robots to help library workers with the various tasks and the customers to explore and find right in the new world of knowledge, wisdom and entertainment.

Helsinki City Library has located some of the key problems in library work. We would like to solve the problems but we also welcome the new ideas to make the new Central Library a great service center for all of us. This is where the inventors, innovators and start-ups come in.

We reverse pitched our ideas and needs at AiroBot 2016 at Airo Island, Helsinki, April 14th 2106. There is a budget of max 500.000€ for the purchase of robots.

You can find the material of the reverse pitch and additional material here.

The construction of the Helsinki Central Library at the Töölö Bay is on schedule and on budget. The groundbreaking for the building takes place today. The construction of the house on the plot will start in November.

The current geotechnical work and concrete works in the basement will be completed in November. This phase is followed by the start of the project management, or the actual construction of the building.

The task in question is challenging, as the building will contain new kinds of structural solutions and high targets for energy and material efficiency have been set for the project. The wooden façade will be very long-lasting, which is why it is important to focus on the quality assurance of the wood acquisition, production and construction process. – “I believe that the brilliant architecture in the winning proposal of the international architectural competition for the Helsinki Central Library has allowed for, and spurred, the realisation of the library”, says Deputy Mayor Ritva Viljanen.

The project is both on schedule and on budget. The library will be opened for the public in December 2018.



Culture and art cluster to Töölönlahti

– ”The Central Library completes a unique cultural cluster within a kilometre radius in Töölö”, says a delighted Deputy Mayor Viljanen.

– “Within walking distance of each other there are museums, such as the National Museum, HAM, Kiasma and the Amos Anderson Art Museum, leading art institutions, such as the Opera, the Helsinki Music Centre and the National Theatre, as well as Olympic stadium. Helsinki believes and invests in culture. “We are building a Helsinki of meetings”, she emphasises.

– “The Central Library will catch us with surprise. It will contain entirely new kinds of library services, such as a cinema, a multifunctional hall, robots, a restaurant, work rooms for rent. But the Central Library will also possess silence and literature, literary art. The Central Library will become a place for people’s freedom to do – everyone, their own kind”, states Viljanen.

The planning of the services of the library challenges the entrepreneurs and keeps them busy as well. At the moment there is a competitive bidding for the leasing of café and restaurant premises.

Bids are currently also expected for robotics solutions, in order to introduce new ways of managing, for example, the logistics and information service of the building. Customers will be invited to participate in the planning of the free-standing furniture, which is due to start soon.


Name competition for the new central library coming

In autumn, October, starts the open Central Library name competition. The winner of the competition will be announced at the turn of the year, at the party arranged in honour of the centenary of Finland’s independence.

As autumn arrives, so have the preparations for a thriller of its kind: the bridge cover is drawn onto the basement ceiling. It is a part of the exceptional structure of the library, the indoor bridge, which will support the upper floors. Cables are used to create a tension to the bridge cover, in order to improve the load bearing capacity of the structure. The cable looks like spun steel wire, and it stretches over dozens of metres.

The next thing that happens is a plot twist that couldn’t be anticipated by laymen: after the cables are tightened, the floor is far from stable. However, to engineers, the following steps of the story are familiar: a slight clearance is designed into the bridge cover, in order to make the structure more durable during temperature changes. The clearance required for the bridge indoors is not large, but it should be prepared for. This is the cue for bearings. One of the directors of the play is construction supervisor Kari Suomala, shown in the picture above.

The vault, or ceiling, of the basement is cast supported by the yellow formwork panels, which will be removed once the concrete has dried. The tension cables, which look like liquorice ropes, have been installed between the moulds on their brackets, and the surrounding steel reinforcement will also be covered with concrete. The picture shows the passive ends of the tension cables. This means that the tension will be created in the northern end.

The first scoops of dirt and sand were dug on the plot in September last year. Once the basement was constructed, the site returned above ground. The basement has been hidden underneath the casting moulds and steel reinforcements, and a random passer-by might not guess that they hide the concrete structures, pillars, partition walls, lift shafts, underdrain system, pumping station, driving ramps, and loading yard, as well as many other things. The narrow ditch around the basement is being filled with sand until the level reaches ground level, because 80 per cent of the waterproofing bitumen felt layers and thermal insulations are already in their places.

The mouldings stretch from south to north as one large field. At the moment, the people working with the steel reinforcements are under a great deal of time pressure: castings are being made at an increasing rate, and a steady line of concrete trucks visit the site every day. The picture above shows the site management exchanging information on their observations.

The concrete castings are ongoing in the southern end of the site, which is the ground-supported part. 200 cubic metres of cast concrete is no big feat for any one day. The concrete is floated and smoothed using machinery and as handwork. In front of the Sanomatalo building, excavation machines pick out the parts of the grooved wall, which was used to support the ditch.

Bearings allow the bridge cover to move

When you hear the word ‘bearing’, you might think of rounded ball bearings, but that is not the case with bridge construction.

‘The clearance for the bridge cover is ensured using slab-like bearings, which are similar to those used in bridges for vehicle traffic. In the case of traffic bridges, reservations are also made for a large variation in temperature: the bridge cover will stretch in hot weather, and contract in sub-zero temperatures. Long bridges also have expansion joint equipment, which emits a small bang when it is driven over. Without the expansion joint equipment, a gap of up to 10 cm could form by the seams of the bridge. Such an equipment is not required for the library bridge, because it is placed in a space with a stable temperature,’ explains Site Manager Kyösti Kontio.

One of the more brilliant turns of the plot is placed here, underneath the end housings of the steel bridge which will be built: who would have guessed that slab-like bearings were slid between the housing structure and the footing before the footing was covered by the casting moulds and iron reinforcements? In effect, the housing structure rests over the bearings, and if necessary, can slide for approximately 5 cm. However, that would require an approximately 40 degree change in temperature.

The computer model shows the side profile of the housing structure. The slab-like bearing plates can be seen as the bright green stack in the middle of the picture. They sort of look like a set of chopping boards. A Teflon coating between the steel beam (shown in grey) and the bearings (green) makes the movement easier. Extremely hard grouting concrete has been cast between the largest bearing plate and the concrete footing below it (shown in blue). But there is no cause for concern: even considering the clearance, the library floor is not intended to sway like the sea.

Liquorice and Luke

The library construction site has a surprisingly international atmosphere. The crane operator is Cuban, and various other roles include people from Russia as well as Morocco.

‘The construction business was international when IT was in its child’s shoes. Our sites have employed people from around the world for years,’ Kontio says.

Luke Parsons from Australia is one of the newest faces at the library site. The young man moved to Finland because of love, after having lived in Australia with his Finnish girlfriend. Luke has previously operated many kinds of machinery at a coal mine. He found the job at the library construction through his girlfriend’s father.

‘Work is going well, but I’m a bit afraid of the winter coming. I’ve heard that it’s only a matter of how you dress. If I can make it through the winter, I believe there won’t be any problems surviving in Finland,’ he ponders.

As for the clothing, he has already received some instructions: it’s no good going to work in shorts and flip-flops in September.

Text and pictures: Liisa Joensuu/Tmi Magic Words

The construction of the basement ceiling has meant long days and weekends at work for dozens of people. The plans have been revised as the work has proceeded, and reinforcements and new structures have been made along the way. Everything has been possible through flexibility, and the work has advanced at an amazing pace. The picture shows the cleaning stage of the southern end of the site, because the wooden casting moulds have already been dismantled.

‘We have tightened our schedule, working 12-hour days and throughout weekends since summer’, says Site Manager Kyösti Kontio.

The only place which still requires concreting as October draws to an end is the bull block of the bridge cover, shown on the right side of the picture with the steel reinforcements visible. A challenging task was beginning: the bull block would draw even more concrete than the 500 cubic metres required for the latest casting part of the basement ceiling.

‘A high load is focused on the bull block, as the steel arches of the interior bridge, which support the higher floors, are to rest on it. Some 800 cubic metres of concrete is used for the bull block alone. Even though the rectangular shape of the block is simple enough, the concreting still has to be carried out successfully in one go for every single square metre. The block is 10 metres wide and 105 metres tall, and counting the metal parts, the total area to be concreted adds up to some 1,100 square metres’, Kontio explains.

Anchoring cables tightened three times

The trick of the bull block lies in the anchoring cables running through it, which ensure the durability of the steel bridge which will support the library.

The anchoring cables are drawn between the southern and northern ends of the bridge. When the cables are tightened, the bridge arches reach their full bearing capability, and will not be able to separate from each other. This solution allows for the 100 metres of open space with no pillars in the first floor lobby of the library.

Both ends of the cables are drawn through the steel slabs which are a part of the housing structure complex. The above picture shows the housing structure complex at the northern end. The cables are still untightened, running through the holes of the steel slab. The slab has a total of 17 holes for the cable bundles. One bundle holds 31 cables, which brings the total number of cables to 527.

The total weight of the cables between the southern and northern end is 70,000 kilos, which is roughly equivalent to 70 average passenger cars. Sturdy solutions are required in order to ensure that the bridge structure can carry all three floors of the library, as even the traverse steel gratings that support the frame of the upper floors are supported by the arches of the bridge.

The cable bundles have been slipped into silver-coloured protective casings, which can be seen in the picture above, before the bull block was concreted. The cables can be tightened for the first time after the casting has been finished and the concrete has dried.

The first of three tightening rounds will be done from the southern end of the site. The second tightening will take place once the steel arch has been lifted into place, and surprisingly enough, the third after the entire building has been completed. This steel slab area at the southern end of the site is left open for a long time, so that the final tightening can be done here. A hole is also left inside the library behind the northern housing structure in order to allow the cables to be tightened even as the construction proceeds.

At the northern end, near the facilities of the future cinema, another hole is left so a two metre long and 50 cm wide jack can be placed behind the bridge housing structure and the anchoring cables can be tightened after the building is completed. At this point, some holes have also been left in the ceiling of the basement, which will allow supplies to be lowered to the basement for the work being continued there.

Floor castings beginning in the basement

Even though the ceiling has already been cast over the basement, plenty of work is still being carried below it. During the past weeks the underdrain and drainage systems have been built and radon pipes installed. Some places are beginning to look ready for the first floor castings: floor fillings are completed, and the insulating urethane plates are in place.

Runs for drainage pipes and air ducts, for example, are being prepared on the basement ceiling. The picture shows the bottom of the pipe channel on the eastern side of the site. Once this task is completed, concrete will be poured over the channel. At these times some 40 people are working on various assignments around the site.

The steel reinforcements of the bull block are beginning to hint at the curved shape of the exterior wall. The upright reinforcements show the line for the reinforcements of the socles of the exterior wall. Once the concreting is finished, E.M. Pekkinen will pass the baton on to YIT. The Pekkinen flag will come down from the flagpole in November. The curved shapes drawn by the architects are sure to present inspiration but also a challenge to the construction contractor.

Text and pictures: Liisa Joensuu/Tmi Magic Words

Worksite stories opened a new chapter in November. YIT took over the site, set up a village of yellow containers at the side of the park and brought many new characters into the story. Now, we will start construction above the ground. First, we will build the staircase and lift shafts, such as the northern stair shaft shown at the front of the picture. The building itself will be built from the north side towards the south.

The YIT’s site management team is excited about starting the building’s construction project. This is an one-of-a-kind project, in which we will build a unique building in the middle of Helsinki. For all those participating in the construction process, the building will become a historical part of their portfolio.

“The project’s challenges are related to the building structures that have not been often used in Finland. The frame structure is exceptional, but challenging projects teach us the most,” says senior site manager Tero Seppänen.

The library will become an urban space for millions of people and a new meeting place for them. According to Seppänen, this is a rewarding concept. The constructors will have the opportunity to bring added value to the lives of people. Team photo. From the left: site engineer Ville Nevala, site manager Janne Kurikka, senior site manager Tero Seppänen, site management intern Miika Luokkala, site manager Ardam Mansoor and site engineer Unto Miettinen.

At first, we compiled a shared schedule and then started the preparations for cast-in-situ structures. The worksite has five shafts, and during their cast-in-situ stage we will need around 30 workers on site. Tero Seppänen points at shaft number three, which is the site’s most important shaft.

The site will expand outside the current fences. After the turn of the year, new fences will be erected from the old magasin building towards Kansalaistori.

The building has been roughly divided into three sections: the northern A section, the middle B section and the southern C section. Each section has its own, more specific blocks. At first, we will start with the northern shafts, numbers 1 and 2, and the middle shaft number 3. Shaft number one will have stairs, shaft number two a lift and shaft number three both a lift and stairs.

“We have named shaft number four as ‘back-up place’. If work in other shafts will have to be put on hold for any reason, we will transfer the workgroup into this shaft. Three work teams are building the shafts,” says Tero Seppänen.

The southernmost shaft, shaft number five, will house stairs. The southern end of the building has an option for a city centre tunnel that would, according to initial plans, go from Länsiväylä to Sörnäisten rantatie, below the city centre. Through the stairs of shaft number five, people can exit the car tunnel by foot, if necessary.

Preparations for erecting the steel arches soon underway

These five shafts are standard construction projects, but the preparations for erecting the steel arches that support the entire library will be started in December. For these, we will first build temporary supports. Installing the actual arches will begin in January and if all goes according to the plan, the installation process could be finished in March.

Pictured are the stairway and lift shafts and the steel arches. The northern stairway shaft, pictured at the front of the image, is located on the side of a future film theatre. In the computer model, the film theatre’s stand is shown in violet colour.

“Due to the frame’s arch structure, certain movement margins must be taken into account. When the arches are burdened with the structures they support, they will bend down. Due to this, we will not make the permanent structures before the entire structural load of the arches has been built. We will leave expansion joints and movement margins for structures in several places.”

The finished building will also have a movement margin of a few tens of millimetres, as due to the arch structure solution, the payload – furniture, items and people – may move the structures. This movement is so small that the people inside will not notice it.

The tower crane placed in the middle of the worksite is in the way of the arch installations, which means that it will eventually be disassembled and replaced by mobile cranes. In the picture, the north-side end housings are shown on the left side of the crane and the cast moulds of the third shaft can be seen behind them. Both a lift and stairs will be built into the shaft.

A work team for preparing and erecting the arches will arrive at the worksite from Normek Oy. After installing the temporary supports, the arches will be mounted on them as separate pieces. Each arch has been divided into four sections. Finally, these pieces will be welded together.

With its curved walls, the form of this building is also extraordinary. According to Tero Seppänen, however, this does not slow down the building process or require much manual work.

“The curve forms over a long expanse of the structure, and it is possible to use elements for the outer walls. The wood panelling will be made over the elements. The frame also has many steel structures.” The floor levels are made of hollow-core slabs, which enable the quick building of large surface areas. Due to the arch structure solution, the hollow-core slabs will not be cast together immediately. The slabs will mostly be left without seams until the building’s total mass rests on the load-bearing arches and the arches have bent down equally to the load of the total mass. Only after this, the floors – which are also the roofs of the lower floors – will be cast.

Tero Seppänen takes things calmly. He has been working in construction for 20 years and has worked in site management for nearly as long. He knows that the project will proceed gradually and in smaller sub-projects. Several operators take part in the project and they all have their own roles. Architects and structural engineers manage their own duties and YIT is in charge of implementation.

For YIT, the unusual part of this project is that it does not start from a ‘clear table’ or as an unconstructed site. E.M. Pekkinen Oy has already carried through the bedrock excavation, civil engineering and basement construction works. Their work will still continue in the basement in the form of floor casts and sewer works, and the company will also finish the refill works of the sides of the building. The masonry works of the basement partition walls starts in January.

“When the partitions have been built in the basement, we will start constructing the machine rooms for building services. The brickwork walls will have openings for sewer and ventilation pipes and cable trays. In fact, the building services works are underway, as electrical piping has already been installed into the shafts,” says Tero Seppänen.

As the new constructor starts its work and the building starts to grow above ground, more attention will be paid to worksite supervision. Camera surveillance system will be installed, including motion sensors and alarms. The guards will be there within a few minutes.

Any communication of the building project of Central Library will be as open as possible. The Premises Centre, the library and YIT held a meeting together at the end of November, discussing each of their communication needs. In the future, information will also be available through YIT’s channels.

Text and pictures: Liisa Joensuu/Tmi Magic Words

Caterpillar tracks will soon be making their way through the centre of Helsinki. New lifting capacity is required for the library construction site, and a new lattice boom crawler with rigging will see to that. In mid-December, a route was cleared for the new crane.

‘Lattice boom cranes are not seen on building construction sites every day, We need this 300-tonne Havator with rigging because it can move from place to place while carrying a load. We have to dismantle our tower crane to make room for the steel arcs’, explains Tero Seppänen (right), YIT’s senior site manager.

A team from Normek Oy has already arrived at the site for the erection of the steel arcs. Alongside Seppänen, the site map and the route for the new monster is being studied by Normek’s site manager Markku Roininen (left) and YIT’s site engineer Unto Miettinen.

For the time being, the tower crane has been joined by the wheel-mounted car hoist shown in the front of the picture, which took care of lifting the northern stairway shaft and the wall moulds for the movie theatre in December. The car hoist is supported by adjustable legs, which makes it unsuitable for the erection phase of the steel arcs.

The three northern shafts were worked on during the end of the year. This picture shows the tower crane lowering a wall mould into shaft three, in which both a lift shaft and a staircase will be built. The scaffolding is being built up as the moulds for the concrete castings are put in place. The tower crane is to be dismantled during the second week of January.

YIT has cleared the construction site and expanded it. The site is now intersected by a clear route for the new monster of a crane. A new gateway has been opened at the southern end of the plot, in front of Sanomatalo, and the site fence has been moved out to the west towards Kansalaistori. This additional space will be necessary as the parts for the steel arcs that will later on support the entire library arrive in January, along with their temporary supports.

Steel arcs arrive in batches during the night

The arrival of the support structures for the arc solution has been scheduled for the first week of January. Even though this delivery will only cover the supports and not the arcs themselves, the parts will be massive, reaching 10 metres in height. A total of ten support structures will be set up at the joints of the actual steel arcs that will then support the library.

According to the schedule, the parts for the actual arcs will be delivered in week 3. The parts for both steel arcs will be delivered in one batch. The delivery is therefore so big that its transportation is scheduled for a quiet time of day.

‘One part for one arc weighs over 85,000 kilos. With the delivery truck weighing 100 tonnes, its progress is slow and every turn takes a lot of time. On main roads, such a delivery causes a lot of disruption, and it can only be delivered in the centre of Helsinki in the middle of the night. The delivery will be coming from Normek’s facilities in Oulu. The vehicle cannot manage tight curves, and the only route with sufficient space is from behind the old storehouse,’ Seppänen explains.

‘The support structures will be completed as far as possible in early January. This will allow us to get the first pieces of the arcs in their places soon after they arrive. Even though the arcs now seem like the most impressive parts on the site, the fact is that erecting them is quite simple, and the challenges will only begin after that phase’, site engineer Unto Miettinen says.

The traverse steel gratings that will support the frame of the upper floors will be supported by the steel arcs when they are in place. The western arc is more sturdy than the eastern one, because it will bear a higher load. In comparison, the eastern gate could almost be called petite. The structure is new for YIT, but the cooperation partner for the phase, Normek, has already erected a similar arc structure in Helsinki.

The maker of the arcs also erected Isoisänsilta (‘Grandfather’s bridge’)

The Isoisänsilta bridge, which opened for bicycle and pedestrian traffic between Kalasatama and Mustikkamaa in September, was also erected by Normek. Unlike the library, however, the bridge did not include any structures that would need to be supported.

‘The library has a harsher structure’, says Normek’s site manager Markku Roininen, adding that the location in the centre of the city creates a bigger challenge.

The same installers who gained experience in the bridge project were available for this erection, bringing continuity to the installations for Normek. It may be surprising that only 2–4 installers are needed, compared to a total of eight welders.

The first parts of the arcs will be put into place at the southern end of the site. Roininen doesn’t foresee any problems with attaching the ends of the arcs to the steel casings that wait for them. Normek made the casings and arcs, and the parts were manufactured in Oulu exactly to measure.

The safety precautions on the site have been increased. Electric gates were installed on the fence, and everyone must be identified on their way in as well as out. YIT’s village of yellow containers already has three floors, because since the excavation phase, the number of people has increased by 20. A total of 57 experts in various fields now work on the site.

Text and pictures: Liisa Joensuu/Tmi Magic Words

The installation plan of the most extraordinaire solution of the new library, the steel arches supporting the building, has been given more detail. Erection of this unique internal bridge requires a few more support structures, which means that the installation process has been delayed a little from the original schedule.

“The loads of the arch structure are very great. The original idea was that during the installation phase, the arches will be supported directly to the existing floor. However, more specific calculations proved that in addition to the vertical supports, the arch load should also be distributed with a horizontal grid that transfers the load to the footing structure. The horizontal grid will be introduced as a new solution,” says Tero Seppänen, YIT’s senior site manager.

During the installation phase, the arches will be supported with vertical and horizontal transmission grids. The horizontal grids required by the updated installation plan will be the first structures to arrive at the worksite before the arches, so the logistics plan was also updated. The support structures will not be removed until the arches have been welded into one structure and tensioned.

“The first grid delivery will arrive during the night at the turn of January and February, during week five, and the next during week six. The deliveries mean night shifts for the unloaders, as the loads will be delivered between midnight and four am. The first installations of the arches will begin sometime before mid-February,” says Tero Seppänen.

Finnish construction ethics dictate that safety is not to be compromised in order to make the work go faster, not even when the deadline is approaching. The change in the design proves how important it is to supervise how theory and practise come together and adapt the plans as the situation requires.

While the transverse support grids have been manufactured in Oulu at Normek Oy factories, the on-site workers have assembled a tracked lattice boom crane, Havator, for installing the arch structure. It was delivered in several pieces from Äänekoski, from the worksite of Metsä Group’s bio-product plant. The wide wheelbase of the tracks takes up a lot of space, and very large steel elements will be delivered to the site, which means that the worksite had to be extended further. Since the fence was moved in December, it has been moved again towards the west and the Parliament House. The arches will be transported to Helsinki in 12 separate pieces. Each delivery carries two pieces, so, in total, there will be six deliveries.

Lifting the arches requires detailed plans

When one part of an individual arch weighs more than 85,000 kilos, the process ahead will be a heavy jigsaw puzzle that requires careful preparations. In addition to the lifting and installation plans, detailed occupational safety plans are needed. All of this has kept YIT’s worksite manager and occupational safety manager Mansoor Ardam busy. He acts as YIT’s supervisor during the steel frame’s installation.

“Success is based on careful planning. The arches and grids are a challenge, but we will proceed in bits and pieces, one matter at a time and in accordance with the plans approved by the structural engineer. The work will be paused, if we notice a safety risk. It is important to react in time during the implementation phase, so that the support towers can hold, lifts succeed and everyone can go home safe and sound after the workday. Motivation is strong, and even if the project is complex, it does not have to be complicated.”

Mansoor Ardam has construction work in his blood. He says that his grandfather was a major contractor in the Afghan state. Mansoor came to Finland in 2005, and in 2012 he graduated as a civil engineer from the Häme University of Applied Sciences. Currently, he is studying for a degree in Master of Engineering in an Industrial Management degree programme in English. He will graduate in May.

“Large projects are already familiar to me. I’ve been in part of the construction projects of HKL’s metro depot in Roihuvuori and Otaniemi metro station. Both were successful, transferred over with zero errors.”

First shafts about to be completed

The construction of lift and stair shafts has progressed on schedule, and the cast-in-situ works of the three first shafts are almost complete. At the beginning of February, the work for the fourth shaft can be started.

The first shaft in the northern end of the building will be around 20 metres high. It reaches through the entire building, from the cellar level to the third floor. The eaves height of the building itself is 23 metres. Next to the shaft, part of the movie theatre wall and the shape of its space can already be seen. The actual building construction will also start from the north end: the first steel pillars and grids will be erected in February.

It is easy to watch the shafts being built, but a lot is also going on below the ground, for example, in the process of covering the concrete vault seen in front of shaft number three. Temporary heating was installed for the basement, as masonry works were started in the premises. During the masonry works of the basement’s partition walls, channels for ventilation and electric system pipes will also be made. ARE was selected as the building system contractor that will manage heating, water, ventilation, electricity and automation works.

When the lattice boom crane’s chains start to lift up the pieces of steel, they can also be seen from far outside the worksite. The crane will see some action as the winter starts to turn towards spring.

Text and pictures: Liisa Joensuu/Tmi Magic Words