Jungmann: From worn-down warehouse to mixed use wonder

A real estate renovation project transforms a historic and culturally significant part of Helsinki harbour. The renewed building now offers the community more housing, services, and energy security.

The Jungmann, originally a four-story concrete and masonry warehouse structure built in 1907 near Helsinki's historic harbour, became a world-class renovation project due to its prime location and potential.

Originally designed by renowned architect Selim A. Lindqvist, the renovation prioritised preserving the building's cultural and historic heritage. Collaboration with Arco architects ensured the celebration of Lindqvist's Art Nouveau-style.

Respect history, renovate for the future

While the property underwent partial renovation in 1986, converting part of the brick-framed structure into a column-beam design, the major transformation began in 2019. This is when Mrec Investment Management acquired the site with the goal of creating a commercially sustainable entity.

Facade restoration, guided by discussions with the Helsinki City Museum, included repairing and painting most plaster, installing new windows and sills, and adding matching narrow windows on the second floor. Inside, original stairwells were preserved and enhanced to meet legal codes, while some basement arches were replaced with a concrete frame where new staircases were added. The renovation successfully balances modern functionality with respect for historical elements.

The interconnected nature of site solutions requires we recognise changes or solutions in one area can affect the entire site, so coordination and collaborative problem-solving is crucial among the client, designers, and Ramboll's structural design team.

FM

Filip Åberg

Ramboll’s Existing Buildings Project Manager

Review issues and possibilities, inside and out

Indoor climate issues required extensive measurements: Over 20 decentralised ventilation systems were integrated to gain indoor climate verification and support different types of renovation spaces.

Other structural enhancements included demolishing and renewing old sub-floors, installing precast hollow-core slabs supported by delta beams, and introducing a new steel top floor and elevator shafts for functionality.

Jungmann brought much-needed additional services to the area and revitalised the entire downtown area in the process. In the planning and construction of the project, particular emphasis was placed on sustainable development and how this historical property embraces modern responsibility without compromising the charm of the old building.

Ilmo Jäntti

CEO Mrec Investment Management Oy

Renew sustainable building renovation ideas in challenging locations

The now mixed-use property demonstrates innovative building energy efficiency, achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum level environmental certification in 2022. This feat was achieved through collaboration, integrating an energy-recycling heat pump system and 290 solar panels for emission-free electricity generation. Notably, the site's integration into Helsinki’s demand response system enhances energy security for the wider city.

The timing of Jungmann's renovation aligns with increased local demand for commercial services due to ongoing district housing development projects for up to 2,000 residents. The 12,300 square-metre site now offers the area luxury apartments, hotel rooms, a grocery store, restaurants, shops, and cafés. The 120 apartments, ranging from 25 - 108 square-metres, cater to both rental tenants and long-term hotel guests, offering access to amenities including a rooftop terrace, garden, jacuzzi, and sauna.

Ramboll’s contribution to the project included the structural design, repair design, moisture damage repair design, building physics inspections, and information modelling.

Jungmann in numbers:

: 1907
Year of original construction

: 12,300
Floor space of the building in square metres
: 290
Number of solar panels installed – covering 20% of the building’s annual energy consumption