Protected apartment building in Helsinki’s Punavuori provided with a new facade that respects the building’s origins

As Oy Wuokkola is an apartment building completed in 1907 on Iso Roobertinkatu in Punavuori, Helsinki. A facade, roof and window renovation conducted on the protected building restored it to its original appearance, which had been altered in repairs conducted in the 60s.

As Oy Wuokkola represents the national romantic architecture of the city blocks of Punavuori, which are named after birds. The housing company had already undergone a pipeline renovation during the 2000s, but the roof and the three-coat plaster of the facade had fallen into disrepair.

“The housing company had been planning a building envelope renovation for a long time, but they wanted to get the pipeline renovation done first, pay off some of the associated loan and wait a few years between renovation projects,” says the building’s property manager Petri Kukkonen from Braleva Isännöintipalvelut Oy.

Sweco experts assessed the condition of the building’s facade in 2017, after which the building underwent a separate condition survey. The roof was found to be leaking, requiring urgent repairs.

“We prepared a project and implementation plan for the building envelope renovation, covering everything from the footing to the roof,” says Project Manager Janne Luhtamäki from Sweco. “It made financial sense to also renovate the balconies and windows at the same time.”

Plans for loft conversion abandoned based on risk analysis

The housing company took time to consider all the repairs that could be feasibly included in the building envelope renovation. “Determining the scope of repairs is always an important decision. No stone should be left unturned in establishing what is best for the housing company in the long run,” Kukkonen emphasises.

One of the issues that needed to be resolved in the early stages of the project was the possibility of loft conversion, which would have had the added benefit of making it possible to add lifts to the building. “A risk analysis showed that loft conversion was not worth it, and the fact that it would have taken two years was also considered to be too big of an inconvenience,” Kukkonen says.

A return from 60s’ solutions to the original

The housing company wanted the building envelope renovation to be carried out in keeping with the high status of the building and the Finnish Heritage Agency’s regulations. “There were many small but important details on the facade and roof,” Kukkonen points out.

The building underwent a colour survey conducted by a building conservator, based on which the facade was restored from its 60s colour palette back to its original hues. The windows were also replaced with early 20th century style windows, which had been changed in a window renovation carried out in the 60s. “The housing company had a strong desire to follow the regulations of the Finnish Heritage Agency and the City Museum, as a result of which the new windows were custom-made by a carpenter,” Luhtamäki says.

The original appearance of the building’s facade had to be preserved, which is why the Finnish Heritage Agency also supervised the renewal of the street-side apartment balconies and their steel railings. The doors of the stairwells’ ventilation balconies were also restored to their original appearance. However, shareholders with windows facing the courtyard were also given the opportunity to build their own balconies. “The plans exist now, so the same opportunity is afforded to new shareholders as well,” Kukkonen says.

Wuokkola’s new facade, which is scheduled to be completed in late 2020, contributes to the historical urban landscape of Iso Roobertinkatu. “The end result is designed to last for the next 50–60 years!” Kukkonen exclaims.