Toukoranta Housing · Finnish Architecture Navigator

Architect: JKMM Architects
Competition: 2008
Completion: 2015
Gross area: 7800 m²
Category: Residential buildings
Tags: block of flats brick shoreline
More: Toukoranta Housing

The project for Toukoranta Housing started as a result of an architectural competition, which was won by JKMM Architects in 2008. It consists of two small urban villas, called Lontoonpiha, and one tall housing block, called Berliininpiha. The buildings are part of Arabianranta housing district, where the extensive Toukola waterfront park is flanked by a systematic row of urban villas alternating with tower quarters.

The ensemble of Berliininpiha and Lontoonpiha buildings is unique in terms of its height and massing. The design of these buildings has no straight edges, resulting in a sculptural outer form, while the rest of Arabianranta appears in cuboid shapes with a little variation here and there. The 12-storey Berliininpiha is the neighbourhood’s tallest building and has become a landmark of the area.

The concrete balcony railings are faced with brick tiles, jointed on-site to unify with the façade. Because of this the balconies merge to sculptural lines of the walls. The window openings are placed differently on every floor. These two solutions make the building look like a unified entirety instead of a pile of identical floors. The design of the building and the spacing of the balconies maximise the views of the park and the bay.

The floor plans consist of spaces that enable a diverse and changing use of furniture. On the top floor, buildings have common saunas and lounges with fireplaces and distant views.