Demanding renovation of Niirala’s 100-year-old school completed under budget

In autumn 2022, Niirala’s protected old school building in the centre of Kuopio was reopened for new young schoolchildren after a renovation project. The project took place during challenging times, but was completed under budget and its schedule was only slightly extended.

Kuopion Tilapalvelut initiated the plans for the renovation project in 2019. The school had served as temporary facilities for other schools for a few years, but the intention was to return it to use to accommodate about 300 primary school pupils and 50 pre-schoolers. During the planning phase, all options were possible, except that the protected building could not be demolished.

‘We wanted to ensure that the premises could be renovated back into use as a school at a reasonable cost, even though the building technology was outdated,’ says Constructor Marko Väätäinen from Kuopion Tilapalvelut. A review of the school network indicated that a school would be needed in the city centre in the future as well. ‘And so Niirala School will stay where it is!’

Thanks to being a familiar partner, Sweco was chosen as the construction consultant. ‘The work was carried out as a collaborative project management contract, which is why we wanted to involve a construction consultant with extensive experience,’ Väätäinen says. The resources of a large company proved invaluable when the role of the construction consultant had to be expanded in the middle of the project. ‘Sweco had the necessary flexibility in those tight spots.’

Amidst personnel changes, Sweco’s Teemu Heiskanen, who had been serving as the project manager almost from the beginning, brought stability to the project. According to Väätäinen, he handled things calmly without a hint of panic despite the time pressures, which helped balance the situation. ‘Information was passed through Teemu, and people contributed to the project without strict roles or company boundaries.’

Unprecedented global circumstances only slowed the project down by less than two weeks

The project was completed in autumn 2022, only 1.5 weeks behind schedule, and the preschool was able to begin operating on time at the start of the term. The delay was caused by an unprecedented global situation: the second wave of COVID-19 hit the worksite in June 2022.

‘All of a sudden, we lost 500 hours worth of work,’ Heiskanen recalls. Moreover, the shortage of materials and components due to Russia’s war of aggression meant additional challenges as it slowed down the operational testing of the ventilation machines, among other things. ‘Despite everything, the construction quality remained high, and only one minor accident that required a one-day absence took place at the worksite during this long project.’

The project budget was underspent by 3 million euros

The renovation of Niirala School ultimately cost three million euros less than what had been budgeted. That was a remarkable achievement, as the demolition volume was bigger than anticipated. According to Väätäinen, the project operators did not want to take any risks during the renovation of the old school building. ‘We did not compromise on usability. The facilities’ healthiness and safety were paramount.’

All the intermediate floors were demolished down to the beam-and-slab floor’s load-bearing surface and emptied of organic matter. Some of the masonry core had to be demolished to make room for the new ventilation machine rooms in the loft without altering the original shape of the building’s roof. The facade and roof were replaced with new ones, but their appearance stayed the same. ‘Two lift shafts were also added to the school, which required strengthening of the ground and piercing of intermediate floors,’ Heiskanen explains.

Väätäinen and Heiskanen believe that the budget underrun was achieved thanks to collaborative project management. The construction contractor was able to have a say in the design solutions and bring valuable information about the costs to the project. ‘The collaborative project model is perfect for technically challenging, time-sensitive and complex projects such as this,’ Heiskanen says.

Väätäinen feels that the contractor model was also useful in managing and sharing risks. None of the parties were solely looking after their own interests and, instead, decisions were made together. ‘The design solutions could easily be altered during construction by discussing them together, without a need for a process of additional modifications.’

After the renovation, Niirala School still looks the same as before, and many protected parts have also been preserved inside the building, including doors of corridors and hallways, as well as skirting boards and railings. Movable walls have been added to the existing frame in the classrooms, which allows the facilities to be used for multiple purposes. Additionally, Pekka and Teija Isorättyä created a piece called Huu-Ha for the schoolyard, based on the Percent for Art principle. The stainless steel owl is a piece of light art and serves as a six-metre lantern that guards the school while the city sleeps.

Picture: Kuopion Tilapalvelut, Vicente Serra