The detailed plan for the office space and hotel project in Katajanokka has been validated – construction is set to begin in the autumn

Katajanokan Laituri will provide space for Stora Enso’s head office, a hotel and new open space for the public, such as café, restaurant and conference facilities.

'We are pleased that our construction project in one of the finest areas in Helsinki is progressing as planned following the validation of the plan. We aim to begin construction on Katajanokan Laituri after the appropriate permits have been acquired’, says Sari Raunio, Property Development Director at Varma.

In summer 2021, the project will continue with the demolition of the warehouse and office building that currently stands on the plot. The building, which is owned by the City of Helsinki, was originally built as a warehouse for harbour activities. Construction of the new office and hotel building will begin in autumn 2021, as per the schedule. The building is set to be completed in 2024.

There will be a high-class hotel in Katajanokan Laituri and the operator in charge of running the hotel has been selected.
‘The selected hotel operator will provide more information about the hotel concept at a later date. It is wonderful that we found a fitting co-operation partner’, Raunio says.

‘The goals set by the City of Helsinki for developing the area and promoting timber construction will also progress with the project. The objective of transforming the Katajanokka area is to create a lively city space, and it is great that we can open up the coastline for the people of Helsinki through this project. The wooden, sustainable and highly carbon-neutral building meets the goals set by the city’, explains the Deputy Major of the City of Helsinki, Anni Sinnemäki.

The carbon-neutral property will be a masterpiece of timber construction

Since its inception, the project’s design process has been guided by the goal of minimising the building’s impact on the climate during its life cycle. Mitigating climate change is one of Varma’s key sustainability targets, and Varma strives to lead by example in reducing the carbon footprint of its properties. Building new facilities using Stora Enso’s massive wooden building blocks is a step towards reaching the set climate goals.

‘The carbon neutral property will a masterpiece of Finnish timber construction. Once the building has been completed, we will apply for the LEED Platinum environment certificate, which encompasses sustainability from a broader perspective’, Raunio says.

‘At our head office constructed from wood, sustainability is something that we consider on a larger scale than simply applying for environmental certification. Our head office will respect nature, energy efficiency and people, and it will be smart. The principal construction material for Katajanokan Laituri is wood, which is the only renewable construction material and the wisest choice for the environment. The building paves the way for modern timber use as part of sustainable construction in cities’, says Stora Enso’s Business Development Manager Antto Kauhanen.

Spring by Anttinen Oiva Arkkitehdit Oy was the winner of the Katajanokan Laituri architecture competition held last year. According to the plan, there will be a small-scale city park at one end of Market Square, and cafés and restaurants are planned for the area next to the sea.