Tampere office building expands into an office for over 900 people
The White House has served as Tampere’s central office building since the 60s. In the renovation and expansion project, the protected building will be transformed into a multifunctional office for more than 900 people. Sweco was responsible for the structural design of the site as well as measurement and imaging services.
The White House, protected by the Finnish Heritage Agency , draws attention next to the Central Square. The six-storey property designed by Aarne Ervi was completed in 1967 and 1975, and in the early 2020s both parts were in need of renovation.
“The building services technology was at the end of its life cycle, and due to indoor air quality problems, we wanted to make the building as good as new also structurally,” says Petri Saarinen, Project Manager at Tampereen Tilapalvelut. At the same time, it was decided to expand the office building with a new section.
The use of the facilities will become more efficient so that the entire city staff can fit in one building and the nearby Frenckell property will be freed up for other uses. The interior of the completely renovated office building will be completed in 2026 as a remote and face-to-face office for approximately 900 employees.
“The end result will meet the demands of today’s adaptability and hybrid working and attract people to the office to meet colleagues,” Saarinen says.
Collaboration supported the demanding design phase
The office building project was defined as exceptionally demanding in terms of both structural design and building physics. “A renovation project like this requires expertise and experience from the structural designer, and Sweco responded well to our needs,” Saarinen says.
YIT’s Planning Manager Joonas Minkkinen lists not only location, size and conservation values but also the contract form, which is rare in the Tampere Region, as special features of the project. “The cooperative project management contract enables us to solve problems together, and cooperation with Sweco’s designers has been really smooth.”
The old part of the office building was demolished up to the load-bearing cast-in-place frame. “As the demolition progressed, a lot of change planning was needed, and we developed the plans in close cooperation with YIT,” says Janne Mäcklin, structural designer responsible for the renovation at Sweco.
The old wing will be replaced by a five-storey column-beam-framed new section, the top floor of which will house an even more magnificent council hall. The closed sections of glass facades are thermospine elements clad with ceramic tiles.
“In addition, the south side has glass lamella cladding, which improves indoor conditions in the summer heat,” says Antti Filatoff, project manager for the structural design of the extension. Otherwise, the architectural elements of the new building were reduced and cost-efficiency improved during the development phase. The frame solution was simplified, and the pillars in the lobby were moved from the center of the space to the sides. “When the load-bearing part is located on the edge of the building, the versatility and adaptability of the premises are better.”
The initial data was refined with drone and Matterport photography
Only old PDF documents were available as initial data for structural design, which is why Sweco’s experts carried out laser scanning and drone imaging in the early stages of the project. The interior was also photographed with a Matterport camera several times as the demolition progressed.
“The filming made the plans more accurate and will reduce measurement errors during the installation work,” Saarinen says.
YIT’s Minkkinen also considers measurement necessary, because in renovations, the truth only becomes clear when demolition and construction work begins. “Now we have been able to react to surprises in a timely manner, which has minimized their adverse effects.”
An accurate building information model was created of the office building, and the starting point of the protected building was recorded by photographing at the same time. For example, new but exactly the same elements were designed for the façade. “In addition, we were able to ensure already during the design phase that the concrete elements fit between the existing pillars,” says Mäcklin.
In Tampere, structural design has been carried out by local designers, which has shortened response times. Sweco’s designers visit the site at least a couple of times a week, and if necessary, change planning can be done on site without delay at other times as well. “It is absolutely vital for the progress of the construction site,” Saarinen says.
Photos: KVA Architects