Aleksanterinkaari, Porvoo

Aleksanterinkaari, Porvoo

This project is close to Porvoo city centre, situated on the western riverbank and nestled at the foot of Aleksanteri Bridge near the Art Factory. This residential area is made up of ten buildings and belonging parking houses.

The focal starting point of the project was a pedestrian path, cutting through the site, which provided a way to seamlessly integrate all the yard spaces into one communal multi-activity area. The path runs through the locale, starting at the eastern side of Aleksanterinkaari and it can also be accessed from the communal yard spaces.

Multi-activity garden spaces are kindling the creation of community spirit in a natural way and invite the residents to avail themselves of other communal spaces, such as saunas and clubs, thus enlivening the whole residential complex.

The buildings themselves have been clustered on purpose in a way that is reminiscent of village growth over time, but, regardless of tight grouping, the views from living spaces never open onto adjacent buildings but always onto free spaces between structures thanks to angling and positioning of building volumes in various ways.

The old Porvoo traditional colour palette, together with typical white window frames and dark-coloured rooftops, was a starting point in choosing the facades’ four varying colours in our project. 

Original artwork in the project was created in collaboration with Porvoo City Art Committee. The parking house features a mural by a Swedish artist Astrid Sylvan, the site’s bordering wall has a metal artwork and a sculpture by a Swedish artist Åsa Maria Bengtsson and the pedestrian path is brightened with light artwork by Kirsti Taiviola and Markko Vuokola.

Project’s first residential buildings were completed in 2017, and the last ones are estimated to be completed in 2020.

Colour Scheme and Artwork 

Aleksanterinkaari, Porvoo

Location: Länsiranta, Porvoo

Size: 25 500 gs sqm

Completion: 2017-

Developer: Pohjola Rakennus Oy

Artists: Astrid Sylvan, Åsa Maria Bengtsson, Kirsti Taiviola, Marko Vuokola

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