The Old Customs House in Katajanokka. Photo by Antti Pulkkinen
HELSINKI,
FINLAND -- The City of Helsinki, Finland, has launched a tender competition to
sell the Old Customs House in Katajanokka for redevelopment.
The
goal of the competition is to find a technically and economically feasible and
architecturally outstanding overall solution for redeveloping the building.
With this competition, the City of Helsinki is hoping to find a suitable new owner with the resources required to renovate and redevelop the building. The final outcome will be determined by price.
Architectural and historic values a key
consideration
Dating from 1901, the Old Customs House designed by Gustaf Nyström was considered architecturally meritorious when completed, and it plays an important role in Finland’s architectural history as a hallmark of late 19th century architecture.
The two-storey building originally
housed both cold and warm storage for customs warehousing, a customs chamber,
and the transport office’s work and customer facilities.
Katajanokka is the unique east-facing side of
Helsinki’s iconic South Harbour. The wharf structures and buildings in the
harbour area, as well as the changes in their use, reflect the history of port
operations over a period of more than a hundred years. The Old Customs House is
a notable building in this setting.
A future plan for land use in Helsinki city centre
envisages a thriving and engaging city centre in which Katajanokka is more
closely connected to the Market Square. More attention will be paid to creating
a pleasant pedestrian environment and a more functional street level.
Bidders are expected to propose a versatile concept with functions suitable for the building, such as business premises, offices, workspaces, restaurants, meeting spaces, or art and cultural facilities.
And, at least the first floor should house services available to the public. Proposals featuring conceptual plans that meet the selection criteria specified in the competition programme and the minimum requirements specified for the concept will be selected for further consideration and a price bid.
For proposals that meet the criteria, bid forms will be opened for
submitting an indicative bid for the plot and the building.
Competition schedule
The competition was launched after the Urban
Environment Committee approved the instructions for bidders and the competition
itself. The deadline for tender submissions is 28 April 2023.
 |
| Gustaf Nyström |
The project will require changes to the existing city plan. This process begins with a participation and assessment plan (“OAS” in Finnish, available publicly from 27 February to 17 March 2023) and continues in collaboration with the winner once the preliminary agreement comes into force.
The winning proposal will serve as a basis for the new city plan. The aim is to bring a proposal for a new city plan to the Urban Environment Committee for consideration during 2025.Link to the competition programme (pdf): Tender competition for the Old Customs House
CONTACTS:
Katharina Mead
Senior Specialist
The City of Helsinki
Urban Environment Division
Land Property Development and Plots Service
Tel. +358 9 310 25452
katharina.mead@hel.fi
City of Helsinki, Urban planning and
construction
(Photographer Antti
Pulkkinen)
David Ebeling
Ebeling Communications
949.861.8351
949.278.7851 (Cell)
Member of the National Association of Real
Estate Editors (NAREE)
“PR Strategist for the Commercial Real Estate
Industry: I do what I love and love what I do.”
