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Meander Housing

The Töölö Meander, designed by Steven Holl Architects and completed in September 2024, is one of the most significant residential tower blocks with wooden facades in Helsinki and Finland. The beautiful timber cladding of the meandering river-shaped building is surrounded by glazing. The wooden façade has been fire-protected with Nordtreat's translucent NORFLAM® W310 flame retardant.

The proposal by US architect Steven Holl won a design competition organised by the City of Helsinki back in 2006. Finally, in 2022, Newil&Bau took over the construction of this unique project. Steven Holl Architects was in charge of Meander's architecture and Pentti Kareoja of ARK-House Architects Oy was the main designer in Finland. SSA Rakennus Oy awarded the construction contract and the timber cladding was provided by Icoma Oy.

Basic information
  • Type of Building:
    Apartment building
  • Fire protection class:
    B-s1,d0
  • Fire protected:
    Wooden Facade
  • Location:
    Helsinki, Finland
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Nordtreat-Meander-wooden-facade

Top international housing architecture in Helsinki

Meander, located in the Töölö district of Helsinki, is a unique apartment building by any standard. Almost 200 metres long, this prestigious building meanders naturally on a plot of land next to older buildings and the sea. The quality of the living space has been taken care of down to the smallest detail.

"We wanted to create a lively dialogue between the new and the older buildings. Meander and its surroundings are like a small ecosystem," says Noah Yaffe, partner at Steven Holl Architects. 

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Unique glass and wood façade curves beautifully

The building's closeness to nature is made real in the wooden façade protected by glass. The combination of elegant glass and warm-toned wood creates both intimacy and interesting contrast; the building is like a wooden ship in a bottle on its pedestal. Professor Pentti Kareoja, architect SAFA, explains that the choice of a natural but strong shade for the wooden façade was deliberate, as the glass in front cuts the intensity of the colour when viewed from the outside. The communication between Steven Holl Architects and ARK-House Architects Oy was close:

 

"We implemented a brilliant composition, adapting it to the Finnish conditions. The height of the building ranges from two to seven storeys and its geometry fits in nicely with the built environment. The serpentine shape creates small parks in the courtyard. And the double façade of wood and glass is unique."

Professor, architect SAFA Pentti Kareoja, ARK-House Architects Oy

 

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