We Land – a unique piece of office architecture
The Helsinki district of Ruoholahti’s maritime location and its history inspired architect Juha Mäki-Jyllilä when he started designing the We Land office building in 2018: “From the start, our aim was architecture that suits its surrounding urban setting dominated by large buildings, but gives it a new, fresh look.”
We Land will be completed in the spring but the exterior already looks finished. The building is easy to spot on Porkkalankatu, near the Cable Factory arts center, and only a few blocks away from Ruoholahti metro station. JKMM Architects’ founding partner, architect Juha Mäki-Jyllilä says that from the outset the We Land site in Ruoholahti felt small but also visible and central.
“The idea was for the new building to be an interesting new landmark that would bring in more life and energy to a developing part of the city by the sea. The ground floor which opens onto the street, the three-dimensional copper façades and the glass top floor with its remarkable views realize the original vision. The low part of the building sits unobtrusively in its environment, while the tall section joins Ruoholahti’s tall buildings and chimneys as it stretches upwards in the landscape.”
The small plot wasn’t the only design challenge. The network of tunnels running under the building, including the metro line, and the groundwater pressure due to its proximity to the sea created a challenge as well. However, the greatest issue was caused by the coronavirus pandemic occurring in the middle of the build and the impact it had on office culture and the way we work.
“The pandemic gave rise to new questions and challenges about the future of office work,” says Mäki-Jyllilä. “However, the chosen style, the high-quality architecture and the quality of the building and the space chimed well with the needs of the post-covid period, as the increase in remote working has shifted the emphasis to the quality of the office space rather than the number of desks that can be squeezed in.”
High quality is also seen in the materials:
“The materials chosen for the building are as natural and recyclable as possible. Wood surfaces are key in the internal space and copper and glass is visiblein the external architecture."
Today’s office workers are attracted to come into work rather than working from home by a sense of community, enjoyment and good service. All of these factors were designed into We Land from the very start. For example, the building will house high-quality restaurants and the Charlie lobby service will make everyone’s lives easier. Well-being and the effective use of space important to tenant companies were central design aims.
“The building is designed to be as flexible and as open as possible. Big, spacious floors mean use of the space can be flexible and the premises can be tailored to tenant requirements. Large windows bring light into each level of the building, as well as wide sea views, especially from the top floor. Some workers will be able to enjoy an outdoor terrace on the roof of the low section. The building has good laundry facilities and changing rooms for people who use their journey to work as a chance to exercise,” Juha Mäki-Jyllilä sums up the benefits.
Today, high quality is about responsibility and here too, We Land is ambitious, achieving the top international BREEAM environmental classification of Outstanding even at the design stage. Final certification can be applied for once the building is complete and in use.
“The location of the building in the midst of existing infrastructure, has the best transport connections on the doorstep.. Large, open floors are flexible for different functions and ways of working, extending the building’s lifetime. When selecting materials, such as the 100% recyclable copper of the façade, and designing the technical solutions, the aim was to pay attention to the sustainable development goals,” says Juha Mäki-Jyllilä.
Explore the building in more detail on the We Land Ruoholahti website.
We Land’s architecture – Architect Juha Mäki-Jyllilä’s Top 5
- The jagged shape of the building drawing on the boundary of the plot
- The 3D copper and glass façade
- The top floor, completely in glass with far-reaching views
- The entrance lobby
- The ground-floor lobby and restaurant premises opening onto the street and outdoor dining areas