Mustikkamaa Maintenance and Storage Building

The Mustikkamaa maintenance and storage facility is Finland’s first maintenance building constructed primarily from reused building components. The project is a circular economy pilot by the City of Helsinki, with lessons to be applied in future construction projects.

A student competition was organized to design a storage concept suitable for Helsinki’s outdoor areas and sports facilities. The Mustikkamaa building includes a cold storage hall and a heated workshop for equipment repair, complete with social spaces. The design was based on the winning proposal and adapted to a sensitive site near meadows and exposed bedrock. Its architectural character comes from a clear, elongated form and an asymmetrical gable roof. Vertical divisions in the façades break up the long sides, enabling flexible use of reused materials without visual compromise.

The load-bearing frame, concrete roof tiles, most interior materials, windows, and fixed furnishings come from demolished buildings. The frame consists of glued laminated timber (glulam) sourced from three different demolition sites. The patina and markings on the beams were left visible to showcase their history. The façade combines reused aluminum panels and cladding made from glulam, with joints intentionally exposed. Aluminum panels were cut to size and reversed so that seams face outward, highlighting their varied tones and creating a harmonious vertical rhythm.

Following the “design for disassembly” principle, most components can be easily removed and reused at the end of the building’s life cycle.

Technical solutions

The wooden frame is glulam, stiffened longitudinally with bracing and laterally with mast columns. The foundation is a ground-supported concrete slab.

Site-specific approval was obtained for reused components. Two donor buildings provided strength markings for glulam beams, roughly matching current standards. Beams without markings were used as wind bracing and dimensioned as structural timber. Glue types were verified from original data or tested when unavailable. Shear and delamination tests were performed on joints, and microbial tests on surfaces.

The building features wooden windows salvaged from Helsinki’s Post Office, refurbished by Spolia Design Oy. Warm-side windows received new inner frames and glass units.

Project Timeline

The student competition was concluded in the spring of 2023. The actual implementation planning began at the end of 2023. The building permit was obtained, and construction work started at the end of 2024. The building was completed in the summer of 2025. The main contractor was Stara, responsible for material procurement. Reused materials were sourced and supplied by Spolia Design Oy.

The project served as a circular construction pilot, thoroughly documented for future reference. Reports and scientific articles on carbon footprint and procurement processes will follow in 2025–26. Key lessons include scheduling, securing material availability, contract model development, and flexibility in design and construction.

The project has generated new practical knowledge about the opportunities and bottlenecks of circular economy in construction. The key lessons concern project scheduling, particularly ensuring the availability of critical materials, developing the contract model, and the flexibility and foresight required in both design and construction.