Collage: June & July
Collage is a monthly summary of Olla’s news. This summer, in addition to the sunshine, we were delighted by several exciting updates, including the Fennia Block’s advancement to the World Architecture Festival finals and our client DNA’s move to their new headquarters, which we had the pleasure of co-developing with their inspiring staff.
The Fennia Block is competing for the win in the Inside Festival finals, showcasing the world’s best interior architecture
The historic block redesigned by Olla is nominated in the Retail category of the Inside Festival. Inside is part of the World Architecture Festival, one of the world’s most significant architectural events, which will be held in Singapore at the end of this year. The Inside Festival, focused on interior architecture, showcases and awards notable design projects in ten different categories.
Read more about the unique block located in the heart of Helsinki and its competition nomination here.
Olla’s Bratislav Toskovic appointed as chair of a WAF Jury
In addition to the competition shortlist, Olla is also involved in the jury of the 2024 World Architecture Festival. Bratislav Toskovic will evaluate entries and serve as the chair of the jury in the Creative Re-Use category, a fitting choice for an architect who has led several significant renovation projects.
What does it mean to be a judge at the world’s largest architecture festival? You can read more about Bratislav’s thoughts on the role here.
Olla designed DNA’s headquarters to reflect the company’s award-winning culture and to refresh the way we think about offices
In early August, DNA moved into its new home in Ilmalanlinna, an office building designed by Olla in Helsinki’s Ilmala district. The relocation of the headquarters, which serves as the focal point for a thousand DNA employees, was a big project for one of Finland’s largest telecom companies, bringing about some significant changes.
Right from the start, the focus of the transformation was on enhancing the employee experience. DNA’s commitment to a people-centered approach was a major influence on the design of the new headquarters. The shared goal between the client and Olla was to create a welcoming and well-being-focused space for a modern tech company—one that reflects both the company’s innovative edge and its human touch.
Olla organized a series of engaging workshops for DNA employees, where both the office spaces and the guidelines for using them were developed. These in-depth discussions and the design process they inspired led to bold questions about the role of the office in today’s world, uncovering many ways in which the work environment can add meaning to everyday life.
But what is the most intriguing aspect of moving into the new office? Read here how DNA describes this significant space renewal.
Construction started on the Hyrylä business and service centre – Särmä is expected to bring together various services and greatly improve the area
The new six-story building will include a Prisma and other retail spaces, as well as various service and working spaces for the municipality of Tuusula. The centre’s construction began in late July and is set to be completed by autumn 2026. The name ‘Särmä,’ a Finnish word that conveys sharpness or precision, reflects the area’s military history.
The project is being carried out by a partnership between Nrep, Jatke, and Olla. The design, chosen through a competition organized by Tuusula municipality and HOK Elanto, is now being built following zoning approval in the summer of 2024.
By combining essential services for residents, Särmä will significantly enhance the heart of Hyrylä and open up new possibilities for the community. Olla is leading both the overall design of the centre and a service-design-driven project, in which the municipality’s spaces and service concepts are developed in close collaboration with the staff.
Construction of the substation boosting Helsinki’s green transition begins
The construction of the Vanhakaupunki substation, designed by Olla for Fingrid, has begun. This new substation, located in the Vanhakaupunki Energy District, is part of a significant cable connection project by Fingrid, Helen Electricity Network, and the City of Helsinki. The project aims to meet the growing electricity demand of the capital and support Helsinki’s green transition. A 12-kilometer, 400-kilovolt cable will be installed between the Vanhakaupunki and Länsisalmi substations, enabling the transfer of electricity from Vantaa to Helsinki.
The cable connection project is expected to be completed by 2026. Read here how the project will help Helsinki transition to a much more environmentally friendly energy system.
The multipurpose centre Akvarelli featured prominently in Korean school architecture magazine
CFSA Review is a South Korean architecture magazine that focuses on learning environments and highlights notable and successful school design solutions from around the world. As a respected publication, CFSA Review serves as a valuable resource for designers, architects, and education professionals, offering the latest information and inspiration for designing educational spaces. The Forssa multipurpose centre Akvarelli, which has gained international attention also before, is showcased in a comprehensive seven-page spread in the magazine’s summer issue.
Read the article in the online version of CFSA Review here (starting on page 82).
