The Haakoninlahdenkatu 5-7 rental social housing company is located in the Kruunuvuorenranta marine residential area on the eastern edge of Helsinki. The rocky terrain exposed after the demolished oil port has strong height differences.
The detailed plan, as in recent times, had designated underground parking for the common yards of the blocks – which meant quarrying rocks from under both the yards and the buildings.
When we visited the site for the first times, we wondered whether it would be possible to preserve even a little of the disappearing rocks under the pressure of all the accessibility, maintenance, rescue and safety requirements.
We decided to utilize the two floor height difference of the plot also for saving the rock. So the parking garage was effectively solved with half ramps to two levels, partly under the building.
The residents’ saunas and club room are around the large roof terrace. The business premises were placed naturally on two levels on the edge of the street.
During excavations at the construction site, a special stone was revealed from the fill soil. The shape of the lump, which was created in a volcanic eruption almost 2 billion years ago, is the result of gas bubbles developing in the magma. We proposed placing the stone on top of the rock fragment we had preserved.
The design of the common courtyard was carried out in good cooperation with #WSP Finland / Tommi Kärki.
Completed: 2021
Location: Kruunuvuorenranta, Helsinki
Foto: Kuvio / Martin Sommerschield, Asko Takala (13)
Team: Asko Takala, Kirsti Sivén, Milja Nykänen, Laura Snirvi, Aino Born, Eero Holopainen, Ilmo Kapanen, Saara Sillanmikko, Matti Pärssinen, Kaisa Savolainen.
