For many years there had been a need to extend the Finnish Parliament in Helsinki to provide improved, modern office space for growing numbers of staff, including MPs and their assistants. WSP carried out the structural engineering design for this extremely high profile project, working with the architects Helin & Co.
The striking architecture of the new extension contrasts with, yet complements, the original 1920s style Parliament buildings, with a curved facade of stainless steel and glass. Steel plays an important role in the building, not only structurally but also aesthetically. It is used in combination with glass roofing to create a spacious, dynamic feeling.
The challenging architecture called for complex technical solutions:
- Demanding post-tensioned structures with long spans and slender members
- A skeleton comprising a triangular section and a curved part with inclined columns
- Double-skinned facades and glass roofing supported by triangular steel trusses
Due to the strategic importance of the building, security issues are of paramount importance and WSP had to take this into account in every aspect of the design.
The building was completed in 2004, in line with the client’s time frame, within budget and fully achieving the requirements for design work of the highest quality appropriate for this important landmark building in central Helsinki.
WSP won the structural design accolade in the 2004 Steel Structure of the Year Awards. The judges based their decision on “a passion for quality, aesthetics and practicality”.
Project information
Client: Finnish Parliament
Size: 17 200 sq m
Cost: £29M
Status: completed May 2004