Details
SRV renovated Lahti City Hall, designed by Eliel Saarinen, with respect for its architectural heritage. The historic building underwent major refurbishment and modernisation under an alliance contract, with a copper-clad courtyard canopy as one of the project's highlights.
We carried out the extensive refurbishment of Lahti City Hall as an alliance project. Originally completed in 1912, the building represents late Art Nouveau architecture and is one of architect Eliel Saarinen's most important works in Finland and a landmark of Finnish architecture.
Throughout the refurbishment, we modernised the city hall while respecting its history and the different periods of its development. Work began with the development phase in March 2020, followed by the refurbishment itself in summer 2021. The renewed Lahti City Hall reopened in autumn 2023, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Eliel Saarinen's birth.
Restoring a historic building to its former glory
The aim of the refurbishment was to bring the historic city hall up to modern standards and ensure that it would continue to serve its purpose for years to come. The project, covering approximately 5,800 m² GFA, focused on improving building services, space utilisation and energy efficiency.
The building's technical systems were extensively renewed. We installed a total of 57 kilometres of new electrical cabling and introduced solutions that allow indoor conditions to be adjusted according to how the spaces are used.
Flexible, adaptable spaces will also support the building's diverse uses in the future.
The lighting was also modernised while preserving the building's historic character. We restored approximately 300 original light fittings and complemented them with energy-efficient LED lighting. This preserved the atmosphere of the protected interiors while reducing energy consumption.
A copper-clad centrepiece for the courtyard
The most visible transformation took place in the city hall's courtyard. We covered the courtyard with a steel and glass canopy, featuring a patinated copper interior surface that complements the character of the building.
A glazed roof section running around the edges of the canopy allows natural light to enter. Together with the acoustics of the space, it creates a distinctive atmosphere and a new communal space at the heart of the city hall.
Copper also played a significant role elsewhere in the project. A total of 15,500 kilograms of copper was used in the refurbishment.
The courtyard and its structures, together with the new entrance beneath the tower, are the most significant and challenging new elements of this extensive refurbishment. They reflect the close collaboration throughout the project and the achievement of its architectural, technical and functional objectives. The transformation introduces a new element that brings people together, creating a warm heart for the building.
Sari Honkanen, Project Manager, City of Lahti Facilities Centre
Alliance contract helped overcome exceptional challenges
Lahti City Hall was a demanding refurbishment project in which the alliance model demonstrated its strengths. SSRV was the construction partner in the project, commissioned by Lahti Facilities Centre. The design partners were Arkkitehdit Tarkela Oy, Granlund Oy and Ideastructura Oy.
Working under the alliance model, we collaborated closely towards shared objectives. This was particularly important as, in addition to the usual challenges of refurbishment, the project was affected by global events and material shortages.
"In addition to the challenges typically encountered in refurbishment projects, we faced the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and difficulties with the availability and cost of materials. Through open communication, clear objectives and positive collaboration, we were able to overcome these challenges and complete the project on schedule," says Harri Martin, Project Director at SRV.
Preserving history for the future
The refurbishment of Lahti City Hall was designed and carried out in close cooperation with the ELY Centre, Lahti City Museum, the Finnish Heritage Agency, the city planning authorities and building control authorities. The building's final protected status came into force following completion of the refurbishment.
Lahti City Hall forms part of the Mariankatu ceremonial axis, which is included in the regional inventory of valuable cultural environments and listed as a nationally significant built cultural environment.
The result is a building that retains its visible history while meeting modern requirements. The refurbishment has extended the life of this historically valuable building and strengthened its role in the centre of Lahti.
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