Luostarinkatu 5

Huvilarivi – cityscape

Luostarinkatu 5 blends into the diverse built environment. The north section of the plot is lined with villa-type buildings bordering the park. There is a grouping of wood houses in the east-facing section of the plot, a day care centre on the south side and lamella and tower blocks on the west side. The beautiful villa-type buildings on neighbouring plots form a pleasing frame of reference with the parkside buildings, which serve to enhance the identity of the newbuild.

The design language and materials of the building emphasise its modularity, thus preserving the view of Vartiovuori Park on both sides. The shape of the truncated roof forms an extension of the Spoof mansion and Villa Solaris roofline and its steep pitch. Correspondingly, the truncated roof integrates the building with the various orientations of the gable roofs on the adjacent wood houses toward Luostarinkatu.

Where placement and height requirements are concerned, the concept of the residential building rests upon the draft of the local detailed plan. On the park side of the plot, the building follows the lines laid out in the old detailed plan, serving as a sort of bridge between the day care centre and newer structural layers. Modern details, design and fenestration highlight the building’s temporal layer in the urban environment.

Huvilarivi – A villa in the park

The pleasant living environment offered by Vartiovuori Park and the park’s existing functions as a living space provide the basis for designing outdoor spaces. The low rise of the day care centre creates a sheltering microclimate for the front of the residential building. Views over the park expand the yard and further emphasise the identity of the area.

The green zones of the yard are divided into three motifs. The decorative grasses and deciduous trees in the entry yard create an orderly, easily maintained atmosphere. The fruit tree and a garden for useful plants in the sunny south-west part of the main yard are a nod to the history of the area, which had once been the garden for Professor Johan Gadolin’s laboratory. The shady, grass-covered northeast slope of the plot links the yard at Luostarinkatu 5 with the broader expanse of Vartiovuori Park.

Access to the plot and the entrance for service vehicles and property traffic are concentrated in the south-east corner of the plot. Parking will underground and the top deck of the parking garage will be landscaped, making it part of the yard’s green zones. Rainwater runoff will be managed by means of landscaping and seepage beds.

Huvilarivi – Villa residences

The basis for the building typology is villa-like living, in which a connection between outdoor and indoor spaces is emphasised. Spacious, open floorplans and flexible space solutions enable owners to adapt their living spaces to suit the different stages of life. The connection between indoor and outdoor spaces is further emphasised by large windows and architectural forms and materials that are conveyed from the exterior façade into the residences. Extensive balconies expand the living space, integrating it with Vartiovuori Park.

The building frame is cast-in-situ concrete. The flat slab construction allows for open-plan residences and flexible space solutions. The feasibility of the building has been taken into account by moving the underground parking garage and ramp out of the adjacent plot in order to minimise the impact on the boundary area between plots. The truncated architectural forms are primarily managed by means of the balcony structures, which ensure their functionality. Ventilation will be implemented on a residence-specific basis.