Gunillantie 3 is an example of infill construction that densifies the eastern suburbs of Helsinki while respecting the airy construction method. 81 state subsidized rental apartments were built for the City of Helsinki on the site of a decommissioned, demolished thermal power plant in a strong rocky terrain. In addition to parking, there is a maintenance depot under the courtyard deck.
The apartments are located around precisely dimensioned stairwells. The stairways receive natural light through narrow light wells. There are 5 reasonably sized apartments on the basic floors. Even the studios have articulated spaces for all basic needs. The largest family apartments open to 3 directions. The residents’ common areas are mainly by the courtyard, the second sauna and common area unit is on the top floor of the easternmost building, which offers long views of the sea. The high floor height required by the depot and parking garage was utilized as storage mezzanines and airy entrances to the lower courtyards. The small commercial premises are located on the southern edge of the street.
The conventional appearance of the white concrete facade elements was broken by moving the vertical seams to the edges of the window openings with the extensions of the outer shell and by fading the horizontal seam under the large slanted water sheet at the bottom of the windows. The facade relief was supported by a slanted perforated sheet placed in front of the ventilation windows. White concrete vertical strips structure the uniform, west-facing balcony zones. The balcony railings are patterned glass. The basement/warehouse floor facades are umber-treated grooved concrete.
The project, completed in 2024, has 81 apartments, 2 small commercial spaces and a 500 m2 property maintenance depot.
photos: Kuvio/Martin Sommerschield 1-8,10,14, Sivén & Takala 9
team: Kirsti Sivén, Aino Born, Kristiina Timonen, Eero Holopainen, Hugo Plagnol, Mattias Molin, Jaakko Isosomppi, Tony Kajasviita, Saara Sillanmikko, Kaisa Savolainen, Asko Takala
