Ambitious design and construction at Verkkosaari in Helsinki – HVAC design of housing companies As Oy Helsingin Harjus, As Oy Helsingin Smoltti and As Oy Helsingin Kossi
A complex consisting of three housing companies is under construction at Verkkosaari in Helsinki, close to the Kalasatama neighbourhood. As Oy Helsingin Harjus, As Oy Helsingin Smoltti and As Oy Helsingin Kossi are three housing companies that will form an apartment building with special architecture and location at the seashore. Raksystems Tubular was chosen to perform the HVAC design of the entire property, which is currently under construction.
Remote HVAC design
The entire Raksystems Tubular team started the project’s HVAC design work in 2016. As is often the case with housing projects, delays occurred due to, for example, the impact of the proximity of the sea on the substructures and the construction of the area’s infrastructure. Changes to the original plans have been necessary to continue the work, but the whole is currently under construction and the work is going well.
Raksystems Tubular is in charge of the design of the heating, district cooling, water and ventilation systems, as well as the verification of the plans on site. Due to the special circumstances in the spring of 2020, verification of the progress of the work has also been carried out remotely. The expected completion time of the complex is spring 2021.
Impressive site requires special design
When seen from the above, the roof of the complex forms the letter V, which descends from the 13th floor to the 7th floor in the two wings of the building. Furthermore, the roof is slightly raised as you move toward the ends of the wings. Tinted digitally printed images, vertical aluminium slots and light-coloured bricks made with a special mould are used in the exterior face to create a vivid, three-dimensional façade.
“One challenge of this site is the building’s characteristic roof that is reminiscent of a ski jump. It hampers the control of rainwater drainage, for example,” explains Kimmo Linturi from Raksystems Tubular.
The site’s developer YIT has carried out a number of different tests for the implementation of the control of rainwater drainage from the roof to ensure first-class plans and implementation.
Raksystems Tubular’s experienced HVAC design team are qualified at class 1, which means that they are allowed to design systems for buildings consisting of nine or more floors. Tall and versatile buildings pose challenges for all design engineers, both in the structural and the HVAC field.
“The architect has designed a beautiful roof silhouette, which means that the normal HVAC pipes and other related structures are not allowed on the roof. I would say that the site is architecturally challenging in terms of HVAC design,” Linturi continues.
Three housing companies in one
The housing companies As Oy Helsingin Harjus, As Oy Helsingin Smoltti and As Oy Helsingin Kossi, consisting of 142 apartments that can be merged, will also have a grocery store at the ground level. In addition, the complex will include a parking garage for 35 cars and space for up to 279 bicycles in the housing companies’ pleasant courtyard. There will be a sea view from all of the apartments in Smoltti, while all the apartments in Kossi will be on the street side of the complex. Harjus will form the tallest part of the building.
The residents will share a laundry room, a recycling room, outdoor equipment storage areas, as well as a sauna, a roof terrace and a leisure area on the 12th floor of Harjus. There will be convenient indoor access to the underground parking garage.
“The knowledge that you can leave your own handprint on such a wonderful site at the most excellent location to delight people is heart-warming,” Linturi says.
