YIT has started planning the renovation of the University of Helsinki Main Building

YIT has signed an alliance contract for the renovation of the Main Building of the University of Helsinki. The current phase of the project consists of making a project plan. The project customer is the University of Helsinki Funds. YIT was selected as the main contractor through competitive bidding. Jeskanen-Repo-Teränne Arkkitehdit Oy is responsible for the project’s architectural design.

The Main Building of the University of Helsinki was constructed in two phases. The Empire-style building at the Helsinki Senate Square, designed by Carl Ludvig Engel, was completed in 1832, and the expansion (also known as the new part of the building), based on a design by architect J. S. Sirén, was completed in 1937.  

The renovation project consists of three main phases: the development phase currently underway (parts 1 and 2), the implementation phase and the after-sales responsibility phase. The objective of the first part of the development phase is to draw up a project plan that includes an estimate of the project’s costs and schedule as well as the project plan for the renovation.

The University of Helsinki will process the project plan in late 2018. The investment decision will start the second part of the development phase, which consists of making a renovation plan for the part of the building that was designed by Engel. The aim is to begin the implementation of the project in late summer 2019. The expansion will be renovated after the old part of the building.

The Main Building of the University of Helsinki is protected as a historically significant building.

Historically, it has acted as the administrative and ceremonial centre of the University of Helsinki. Nowadays, most of the Main Building is used for teaching by the University, but the building also contains conference and university services facilities as well as an exhibition by the Helsinki University Museum.

“The Main Building of the University of Helsinki is a special site in terms of its architecture, history and location. YIT is specialised in renovating historically important buildings that are often located in city centres, and we are very happy to be able to start the development phase of the alliance project,” says Jussi Niiranen, Senior Vice President, YIT Business Premises Renovation.

“Different architectural styles and construction practices have been mixing within the University Main Building for almost 200 years. Our task is to add to that history while making sure that the new changes and repairs fit in well with the older features,” says architect Timo Jeskanen.

For further information, please contact:

Jussi Niiranen, Senior Vice President, Business Premises Renovation (Southern Finland), YIT Talo Oy, tel. +358 (0)40 723 3807, jussi.niiranen@yit.fi

Henri Jyrkkäranta, Construction Contracting Manager, Helsingin yliopiston kiinteistöpalvelut Oy, henri.jyrkkaranta@helsinki.fi

Hanna Malmivaara, YIT Vice President, Communications, YIT Corporation, tel. +358 (0)40 561 6568, hanna.malmivaara@yit.fi

YIT is the biggest construction company in Finland and a major player in Northern Europe. We construct and develop apartments, business premises and entire residential areas. Furthermore, we are specialists in infrastructure construction and paving. Together with our customers, our 10,000 professionals create increasingly functional, appealing and sustainable cities and living environments. We have operations in 11 countries: Finland, Russia, Scandinavian and Baltic countries, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. The new YIT was created by the merger of YIT Corporation and Lemminkäinen Corporation, both over 100 years old, on February 1, 2018. In 2017, our pro forma revenue amounted to over EUR 3.8 billion. YIT Corporation’s share is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. www.yitgroup.com