Ruukki solution wins: Helen’s Vuosaari bioenergy heating plant awarded Steel Structure of the Year 2024 in Finland

Nov. 20, 2024

The Finnish Steel Structure Association awarded the Vuosaari bioenergy heating plant with the Steel Structure of the Year award for its high-quality architectural solutions and innovative use of steel. The award-winning power plant supports the climate objectives of Helen's and the City of Helsinki's carbon neutrality program by enabling the phasing out of coal and the closure of power plants. Designed by Kivinen Rusanen Architects, the facility blends in with its surroundings thanks to its timeless look. Pasi Turpeenniemi, representing Ruukki, received the award at the Steel Structure Day 2024 event held in Helsinki on 19 November 2024. Congratulations to the winners!

The unique façade envisioned by the architect for Helen's power plant prompted our customer RKC Construction Oy to propose a Ruukki solution for the building already at the design stage. Based on the vision, we designed an impressive yet cost-effective solution that has been refined in cooperation with the architect and installation company. The solution utilizes the Ruukki® Primo façade system made of aluminum composite, which guarantees exceptional surface evenness even with a large cassette size.

"We used two different types of cassettes in the building: standard Primo® Skyline 150 cassettes and custom-designed three-dimensional cassettes, some of which are perforated. The Helen logo has been perforated onto the façade cassettes at the main entrance. Good cooperation in the design phase and the solution we developed enabled minimal material waste and fast manufacturing and installation, which benefited the environment. The end result is spectacular. The solution is completely concealed and the corner cassettes give the site a polished finish," says Pasi Turpeenniemi.

The jury justifies the selection as follows:

"The bioenergy heating plant illustrates how important comprehensive design and skillful construction are in industry, both in terms of the process itself and its relationship with the environment. The architecture of the facility shows that architecture is also a central part of industrial construction and creates real added value for it.

The sculptural nature of the ensemble grows organically from the process of the plant and its organization. The plan makes insightful use of the potential of large volumes in an unprecedented way. The mantle surrounded by steel frames structures the plant on a scale of human activity. The parts of the device process drawn in front of the large pieces are arranged like sculptures against the subdued background of the art museum. The collage lives in the light according to the cycle of the day. Quality is not limited to the shells of the building parts, but the interior of the plant is also individually uplifting in terms of atmosphere.

Landscape architecture has also been used in the implementation as a way to adapt the plant to its environment in a way that describes the client's understanding and high level of ambition. It is noteworthy that the whole and its details have been designed and implemented with the same quality as the best public buildings in Finland today."

The Steel Structure of the Year is one of the major Finnish architecture awards. The award is given to an architecturally high-quality construction project that made insightful use of steel and other metals during the construction phase. The award was decided by a separate jury, chaired by architect SAFA Samuli Miettinen from JKMM Architects, the chief designer of Tammela Stadium, which won the Steel Structure of the Year Award in 2023.

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