MEANDER HOUSING, HELSINKI

Located in Helsinki’s cultural and historical district Taka-Töölö along the Taivallahti Bay, the site of Meander housing is enclosed by the Taivallahti Barracks, two apartment buildings and an office block. Out of this bounded inner block the 8886 sm building rises in section towards the sea horizon, providing breathing space to the historic barracks and maximizing views and sunlight to the eighty apartments in the new building. The 180-meter-long glass building with a height varying from two to seven floors travels across the rectangular courtyard like a musical score, shaping garden void spaces within the block. Meander is carried by load bearing perpendicular concrete walls and glazed with horizontally hinged glass panels. During the evenings, the building glows like an ice sculpture.

The apartments, ranging from studios to four-bedrooms, feature private saunas, balconies, and views of the Baltic Sea or Hesperia Park. Pivoting walls maximize spatial variations, and can be controlled by residents. Among the public spaces for residents is a rooftop sauna with sea views and a scenic path spanning the full building length. The building is an exemplar of sustainable practices with the installation of fifty geothermal wells, solar panels on the roof, and radiant floor heating and cooling throughout its apartments.