Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2010 | Page 60

REAL ESTATE SPECIAL REPORT
Photos: Larkas & Laine Architects Ltd

Green Light for Construction

Skanska is building a “Gateway
to Helsinki”

Something new and
exciting is in the works at
the start of the legendary
Mannerheimintie street
in Helsinki. Skanska is
raising an ultra-modern
office complex in the area
which is already being
hailed as the “Gateway
to Helsinki”. In fact,
the complex is the first
set of buildings one will
encounter, approaching
the downtown area from
the north via Hämeenlinna
road. The location in the
corner of a busy junction
of Mannerheimintie and
Hakamäentie is optimal
for travelling to downtown,
to the Pasila train station
or to the Helsinki-Vantaa
international airport.
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kanska will raise four buildings which are to provide
top-notch business premises
for companies of various sizes. One of the buildings – the
first one – will become headquarters for Skanska Finland itself. The complex will feature
33,000 square metres of space
for 1,600 people.
The main idea behind the
construction is simple enough:
Skanska wants to spare no effort
in order to make the best possible office building, jam-packed
with innovation from top to bottom. Skanska’s own headquarters will function as a pioneer of
sorts, a test bed for new solutions, and once those solutions
are deemed to be efficient, they
can be utilised in the following
three buildings. This way, Skanska will go through the process
of trouble-shooting instead of
the clients – the tenants of the
other three buildings receive hitech that is virtually bug-free.
“We are looking to realise
a state-of-the-art business com-

plex,” confirms Leasing Manager Eero Ojala, adding that the
company wants to be a true industry forerunner in the area.

Smart & Sustainable
New and impressive office facilities will be built using the latest energy-efficient technology.
Sustainable solutions have been
taken into account already in the
design phase and throughout the
whole construction process so
that the eventual end-users can
enjoy them on every-day basis.
Project Manager Hannele
Vainio explains that one of the
special features is “corner office
belongs to everyone” ideology
where, thanks to open office solutions, more employees get to
enjoy the view.
“Office traffic is ‘centralised’ in the middle of the buildings,” Vainio says.
Car parking facilities will
be built under the office buildings. The office block can be
reached with bicycle via many

beautiful routes, for example
through Helsinki Central Park.
There will be a separate bicycle
parking area, as well as good social facilities including showers.
Eero Ojala would like to
see companies with a progressive mindset find their nests
here: “Certainly the entire concept is very attractive to forerunners and innovators of their
specific industries,” Ojala comments. The inspiring facilities
are being built to serve companies who value the open space
and flexibility of new premises.

As Green As It Gets
Jukka Pitkänen, Managing Director of Skanska Commercial
Development Finland (CDF),
points out that Skanska has no
objection to letting all three
buildings to a single tenant,
but more realistically speaking,
each floor can also be split in
three parts, if needed.
“One floor encompasses
about 1,000 square metres.”