Katajanokan Laituri is awarded the Wood Architecture Award by the international press at a wood construction event in Paris on February 27, 2025.

Katajanokan Laituri (Katajanokka Pier) is a solid wood office building in the Katajanokka district of central Helsinki. Designed by the architects at Anttinen Oiva and developed by the pension company Varma in 2024, the building is home to the headquarters of forestry group Stora Enso and the Solo Sokos Pier 4 hotel. This four-storey building has a vast rooftop terrace planted with coastal reeds and grasses, and its ground floor restaurants, cafés, offices, conference spaces, and other services open onto the surrounding city. 

Annual award rewards excellence in wood architecture in Europe

This annual award aims to bring exceptional wooden architecture into the limelight, to encourage innovation in design, and to unite countries in their common appreciation of wooden construction. The winner was announced at the “14th Forum International Bois Construction”, a wood construction event held in Paris, France on February 27, 2025.

The Wood Architecture Award has now been awarded seven times. In this competition, architectural magazines from five countries – Finland, Switzerland, Germany, France and Sweden – each propose a maximum of three projects from their own country, which are then voted on by a jury representing each of the magazines: Puu-lehti (Finland), Trä (Sweden), Mikado (Germany), Lignum (Switzerland) and Séquences Bois (France). Magazines may not vote for their own proposals. Finland last won the award in 2023 for the Martta Wendelin daycare centre.

The jury’s statement

The jury praised the building for complementing its surroundings, and also applauded its architecture, the beautiful presentation of wood in the details, and the visibility of the load-bearing structures.

The building designed by Anttinen Oiva Arkkitehdit successfully flows into its prestigious, historical surroundings, thereby setting high standards for future construction projects. Wood is omnipresent in the building’s structures, cladding, and interior decoration, and the diverse types of wood create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Katajanokan Laituri aims to set a new trend in modern wooden construction

The project sought to minimise climate impacts across its entire life cycle and to create a building that is long-lasting, easily modifiable, multi-purpose, low-carbon, and energy-efficient. Thanks to the chosen structural system and interior dimensions, the inside of the building can be modified as needs change over time.

“Katajanokan Laituri sought to achieve high goals from the start, which made it a demanding and innovative project in many ways,” says Selina Anttinen of Anttinen Oiva Arkkitehdit. “I am pleased to share this international recognition with everyone involved in the project, from the sustainability-aware clients to the skilled builders and our multidisciplinary design team. The award is a wonderful continuation of the recent successes of Finnish wooden architecture.”

“Katajanokan Laituri was an exceptional project for us in terms of its location, construction material, and architecture. This modern wooden office space is a good fit with our investment portfolio and strategy and aligns with our environmental values. We are particularly pleased to see Katajanokka Pier win an award that highlights European excellence in wooden architecture,” says Sampsa Ratia, Varma’s Director for Real Estate Investment.

For more information:

Media Emmi Inna, emmi.inna@puuinfo.fi
Architect SAFA Selina Anttinen, selina.anttinen@aoa.fi

Pictures downloadable for informational use:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bU7L1B5I3G5Fw6vTMqQ32TDyXNZZpXNN?usp=sharing