Tikkurila Church and Housing

By Caterina Testa - 3 November 2021

Located in the northeast of the extensive metropolitan area of Helsinki, the city of Vantaa - and more specifically, the neighborhood of Tikkurila - is an important communication hub, the site of the Finnish capital’s airport with links to the country’s railway system. Socially too, Tikkurila is one of the liveliest, ethnically diversified metropolitan areas where ongoing urban transformation is clearly visible.

Some time ago, the local Finnish and Swedish parishes, owners of certain areas in Tikkurila, called an ideas competition on the possible future development of their property. One of the most important requirements in the competition was that the architect, the main contractor and the client had to work closely together, following the original cooperative nature and alliance model of the competition.

The team composed by the architecture studio OOPEAA and the main contractor Lujatalo won the competition, and worked closely with the client, before putting forward an overall regeneration project for the area on the city’s main square in front of the city hall.

The original volume housing the Vantaa parish offices was turned into an articulated multifunctional complex geared to meeting both the service-provision and social needs of the entire community.

Entirely curated by Oopeaa in close cooperation with the client and constructor, the full project provides for three different functions in a single volume. The southeast corner and southern extension contain the Tikkurila Bethania Housing block: 244 apartments, of which 162 for student accommodation, the remainder affordable rent housing, commissioned by the Vantaa Parish and HOAS, the Helsinki Region Student Housing Foundation. The north-facing section across from Vantaa’s city hall houses the parish offices, with work spaces for approximately 140 employees as well as community meeting areas, a cafeteria and children’s corner. The church...