Seven-storey CLT block built in less than a year

The block in CLT was built in Tampere, Finland and is designed for students. The project started in 2019, and construction began in June 2020, with the foundations poured and the ground floor, also made of concrete, constructed. The installation of the CLT elements to erect the seven floors comprising 70 apartments started in November 2020, and the entire complex was handed over "turnkey" in May 2021.

Each building in the complex has been constructed with a different type of material, and the facades reveal this

TOAS Kauppi is part of a complex of five buildings neighboring Tampere University Hospital and Kauppi Sports Park. The residential buildings and an above-ground parking lot are situated around a common green space, a kind of inner courtyard.

The idea of the architectural firm that designed the entire complex was that the exteriors of the buildings should emphasize the different construction solutions and building materials used. As a result, the facades of the buildings are made of materials such as hand-crafted brick, polished plaster or metal grillwork. With facades made of larch wood, TOAS Kauppi completes the selection of materials.

The starting point was to design and construct a building that would meet the needs of the developer and fit into the urban landscape in a pleasing and sustainable way. Untreated planed larch, selected for cladding, is one way of presenting the structure of the building while adding texture to the façade. The folded shape of the facade offers residents views in different directions and gives the building a distinct and personal character.

TOAS Kauppi complex built for students

TOAS Kaupi has eight levels. The ground floor, built of concrete, houses a bicycle depot with bicycle maintenance facilities, storage spaces, civil defense shelter, communal sauna and a laundry. The seven floors are built on CLT structure and house a total of 70 student apartments.

The choice of finishing materials for the interiors took into account the requirements of fire resistance, sound insulation and long-term resistance. These requirements were coupled with the desire to leave as much wood as possible exposed. In the apartments, the surface of the CLT beams was treated with transparent fire retardant. The interior frames of the wood and aluminum windows were varnished with clear semenea varnish. In the corridors and stairwells, the wood of the CLT structures that form the apartments and make up the entire load-bearing structure was also left exposed and finished with clear protective coatings.

The building's soundproofing design took into account all nearby noise generators, including the noise produced by helicopters landing on the hospital helipad. The complex was to be inhabited by students and they need quiet. Some of the exterior walls have been boarded inwards with three layers of plasterboard to ensure they meet the sound level requirements. In addition, doors and windows were also selected for their acoustic properties.

Less than a year after work started, the complex was handed over to the developer

The developer broke ground on the project in November 2019. In order to choose the most suitable option, a multidisciplinary team was put together to analyze the different solutions and variants. From the outset, the aim was to combine architecture, where wood was both a structural and aesthetic element, with functional technical solutions. The subsequent maintenance of the building played a key role in the decision-making.

All those involved in the realization of the project have been involved in the decision-making and design from the very beginning. The collaboration between architect, designer, developer and material and equipment suppliers was constructive and forward-looking. Work started on site in June 2020 with the foundation and ground floor, made of concrete. CLT wall installation began in November 2020 and the site was handed over to the developer in May 2021.

More information on the Tampere project here.