P-Atlas
Type: building design
Client: Jätkäsaaren Pysäköinti Oy
Status: completed 2020
Timeline: 2016–2020
Location: Jätkäsaari, Helsinki, Finland
Scope of project: 18,100 m²
Team: Vesa Humalisto (partner in charge), Nikolas Davies (project leader), Timo Paananen, Maiju Lehtimäki, Daniel Reini, Valtteri Hautsalo, Timo Arjanko, Lotta Aulamo, Lassi Luotonen, Antti Haataja, Anni-Mari Anttola, Leena Buller
Photography: Daniel Reini
Aesthetic and functional masonry in the parking facility of the new residential area in Jätkäsaari.
Location
Parking facility Atlas is located in a new, fast-growing maritime residential area Jätkäsaari in Helsinki. Jätkäsaari used to be a harbour and industrial district.
Photo: Nina Svetlick / Helsinki City Museum 1996
Urban parking
The aim of the design was to make a parking facility that was simple in appearance and suitable for the future urban structure. The retail space creates a pedestal for an eight-story parking facility. Despite the large mass, the innovative use of bricks in the façade has created a diverse and interesting entity.
Monolithic finesse
The main material of the facades is burnt brick. By using sheer walls of perforated brick with random window arrangements, the building’s monolithic mass receives a delicate surface treatment. Lit from inside, it becomes semi-transparent at night. The brickwork affords effective cross ventilation of the interior.
The facades of the first two floors and the stairwells have been masoned using over-sealing. The main entrance is framed with a prestigious brick relief.
The contrasting green roof
A dozen different plant species are growing on the green roof of the lower part of the building. There is also a growing platform on the roof for vines that climb along a net wall reserved for them.
A solar power plant will be implemented on the roof of the actual parking facility. Solar electricity is to be used e.g. for cooling the retail space and thus improving the energy efficiency of the building in an environmentally friendly way.
