Virtarannankatu Housing

Helsinki, Finland

Photo © Tuomas Uusheimo

Picture © Tuomas Uusheimo

Photo © Tuomas Uusheimo

Collective Housing + Multiple Houses

Architects: Kirsti Sivén & Asko Takala

Location: Virtarannankatu 3-5, 00920 Helsinki, Finland
Year: 2017
Team: Kirsti Sivén, Asko Takala, Milja Nykänen, Tuula Nurmi, Jaakko Isosomppi, Alex Torres, Tatu Pärssinen, Ville Hautala, Anna Juholamari, Aino Born, Eero Holopainen

Virtarannankatu 3-5 state-subsidised rental housing is an infill-plan implementation in the Eastern Myllypuro, by Mustanpuronpuisto park in Helsinki.

The plan called for rowhouses that honour the scale of the single-family houses in the neighbourhood. The buildings were to use timber cladding in warm tones of yellow, red, and brown.

State-subsidised housing has a tight budget. In addition, there was an extra “invisible” cost; soft ground of clay and peat, which required piled foundations even for pipelaying.