The new unique marble furnishings and relief in the Sokeripala lobby pay tribute to this exceptional property
The lobby of the iconic Sokeripala office building, designed by Alvar Aalto, has recently been renovated, featuring unique new furnishings and a Cosmic Visions marble artwork that reflects the spirit of the building.
This extensive project was realised through the collaboration of multiple experts, each contributing their specialised knowledge to both the visionary design and meticulous execution. The remarkable ensemble is now complete, adding a fascinating new layer to the building’s story.
The project’s key participants now shed light on the intriguing process and its background.
White marble – an integral part of the building’s history
The Sokeripala office building at Kanavaranta 1 is one of the most significant buildings designed by Alvar Aalto in Helsinki, dating from the later stages of his career. The project was of great importance to Aalto, as it provided an opportunity to design a high-profile office building in Helsinki’s maritime centre, adjacent to the Presidential Palace. For the building’s façade, Aalto selected white Carrara marble from Italy, as he was deeply inspired by classical Southern European architecture.
However, by the turn of the 21st century, it became evident that the Finnish climate had posed significant challenges to the façade’s marble panels, causing them to warp. Renovation of the façade became unavoidable. After thorough research, a different type of white marble with a more durable crystalline structure was chosen to better withstand harsh weather conditions. The renovation was technically successful, and the new façade has proven to be long-lasting.
New layered details for a historic building
As time passed, Sokeripala underwent a major transformation in the 2020s, evolving from Stora Enso’s headquarters into a multi-tenant office building.
One of the key themes of this renovation was improving the building’s fire safety. As a result, the design team decided that the new lobby furnishings—including the reception desk and coffee table—should be made from non-combustible materials.
This led to an extraordinary idea. The chief architect of the transformation project, Marianna Heikinheimo from Ark-byroo, who holds a PhD on Aalto’s architecture, suggested that the new lobby furnishings be made of stone using surplus marble panels from the most recent façade renovation. This would pay tribute to Aalto’s choice of façade material and harmonise beautifully with both the protected building and contemporary aesthetics.
“Sokeripala’s lobby already had remarkable details, including a stunning teak ceiling, original Aalto-selected lamps, and a travertine floor. We felt that the new elements should honour the refined character of the space.
However, we did not want to simply replicate Aalto’s design language but instead introduce a new layer of design that is rooted in the present,” Heikinheimo explains.
The building’s owner, Deka, supported the idea. Thus, Heikinheimo, together with her Italian colleague, began searching for a designer for the new marble furnishings and relief. Meanwhile, Newsec’s Senior Property Manager, Jarno Aalto, sought a stone construction specialist to manufacture the marble pieces.
A renowned marble artist from Carrara
Italian artist and industrial designer Paolo Ulian, a specialist in white marble, was selected as the designer. It was particularly fitting that Ulian has strong roots in from the Carrara region, the source of the original marble panels chosen by Aalto for the building’s façade.
Ulian was honoured by the invitation and gladly joined the project. He familiarised himself with Sokeripala and Aalto’s work before designing a cohesive concept for the space. The result was a reception desk and coffee table composed of overlapping marble slabs, along with the Cosmic Visions marble artwork, featuring cube-shaped elements reminiscent of sugar cubes.
Ark-byroo, responsible for the interior design of the lobby, defined the dimensions and placement of the marble reception desk, side tables, and relief. Once Ulian’s design sketches were complete, the process continued with Ark-byroo. Heikinheimo developed detailed execution plans for the furnishings in collaboration with Ulian, consulting with structural engineers on finer details and overseeing the implementation.
A skilled stone constructor ensured a refined finish
The production of Sokeripala’s marble furnishings and the structure of the Cosmic Visions sculpture were entrusted to Finnish stone construction specialist MKT Rakennus. Even for this experienced company, the project was a unique undertaking.
“The Kanavaranta project has been an incredibly interesting and distinctive experience for us.
Since the furnishings were crafted from old façade marble panels, much of the work was done by hand. Each panel was carefully selected, and cutting each one was a unique phase in the process. Respecting the old material was essential, so the original roughness of the marble was preserved in the furniture design.
Crafting the furnishings required meticulous precision, and several prototype models were reviewed and refined in collaboration with Marianna Heikinheimo. For instance, in the coffee table, the goal was to ensure uniform thickness across the adjacent marble slabs. As the marble pieces varied in thickness, achieving this required extensive fine-tuning and polishing.
The marble sculpture was also a collaborative effort. Skilled marble craftsmen created the structure and pixel-like carvings, while Paolo Ulian travelled from Italy to Kanavaranta to personally complete the final design. During this phase, he hand-carved the pattern he had envisioned into the pixelated surface,” explains Ville Laakkonen, CEO of MKT Rakennus.
A unique lobby ensemble receives praise from tenants
The project is now complete, and the Kanavaranta 1 lobby has been given a distinctive and prestigious appearance. The exceptional result of this nearly two-year project is a testament to the expertise and seamless cooperation of all participants.
“Since the building itself is unique, it is only fitting that this uniqueness extends into the entrance lobby with these one-of-a-kind marble furnishings and artwork—there is nothing else like them anywhere. The time invested in the project also reflects its extraordinary nature; together, we created something never before attempted. We have received a great deal of praise from tenants for the completed ensemble,” concludes Newsec’s Jarno Aalto.
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