Kesko Headquarters – Helsinki
JKMM Architects was tasked with the design of the Kesko offices, a Finnish conglomerate company, located in Helsinki, Finland.
The new Kesko headquarters at K-Kampus in Helsinki have completed and are now the offices of some 1800 members of their staff. The design of the headquarters by Finland’s leading practice, JKMM Architects, also provides a showcase for Kesko’s products and services.
The building complex embodies important values such as customer care and corporate responsibility. The architecture reaffirms these values through its interpretation of Modernist Scandinavian principles, highlighting durability and authenticity. JKMM’s approach also combines clarity of vision with care and attention to details.
K-Kampus has light brick elevations that have been laid in situ and that alternate with exposed fair-faced concrete as well as large panes of glazing. From the outside, the warm tones of timber used in the building’s arcades and roof terrace are visible and add another layer to the architecture’s sense of materiality.
The interiors reinforce the language of the building’s exterior. Architectural detailing combined with a pared-down approach to spaces that are generous and easily legible facilitates way finding throughout. The material palette has been selected so that it feels natural, for example, with its oak floors and ceilings lined in pinewood. The interiors all wrap around a glazed atrium where a scaled up staircase is a visual focal point, acting as a meeting point as well as a symbol for communality. Meeting and presentation rooms are located on the first floor and, when opened up to the atrium staircase, enable the hosting of functions for up to 1000 people. The atrium stair has been designed so that it is easy on the foot, thereby inviting people in the building to use it rather than choosing to go up and down by lift.
The variety of workspaces on offer ensures that individual needs and collaboration can be addresses in a convivial way. The differentiation through colour palettes and the loose furniture selected for the office floors has ensured that each level has its own atmosphere. Throughout, there is a desire for the best possible acoustic environment which has led the interiors team to opt for specially designed ceilings and textiles to cover the floors. The result is a calm and serene sequence of workspaces. JKMM also introduced higher than standard ceiling heights for this type of building. This together with the strategic use of glazed surfaces ensures that the K-Kampus interior feels uplifting and well-lit. In addition to the actual office floors, the K-Kampus restaurant, cafe and other break out spaces are equipped so that these too can be used as both meeting and working areas.
K-Kampus will be Finland’s first office building to go carbon neutral in its waste management. The client and design team will be applying for both BREAAM and Green Office certification for the project.
Design: JKMM Architects
Photography: Hannu Rytky, Pauliina Salonen, Mika Huisman
