The Urban Environment Committee's Environment and Permits Sub-Committee will select the recipients on Thursday 22 January 2026. The event at City Hall is open to all.
The Rakentamisen Ruusu (‘Rose of Construction’) award is awarded for an exemplary contribution to the purposes of building control that has promoted the creation of good living environments and environmentally, financially, socially and culturally sustainable development. It is not an architectural competition, as Building Control Services observes not only design, but also aspects such as good cooperation and worksite efficiency.
For the first time, the Rakentamisen Ruusu award will also allow residents to participate by voting for their favourite site online.
Repairs to Hämeentie 26
The art nouveau building at the beginning of Hämeentie, completed in 1912, has been renovated from the basement upwards, and the bold renovation has yielded a high-quality end result.
The site brings life to the renovated Hämeentie and creates new potential for street-level commercial space. Together with Architect Eero Korhonen, the housing company has managed to challenge traditional thinking usually employed in housing co-operatives by taking a more comprehensive approach.
“This was a long and interesting project. It involved many challenging aspects, and reconciling them was a demanding and educational experience,” says Architect Eero Korhonen.
The nominations for the award are: Eero Korhonen, Arkkitehtitoimisto Eero Korhonen Oy and Asunto Oy Laaksola.
Covering the courtyard of Pohjoisesplanadi 37 and construction of commercial premises
The eye-catching feature of the commercial and office building is the bold and unconventional space enclosed by a glass roof. The glass roof of the courtyard forms a light, sculptural structure with inventive structural steel solutions. In connection with the renovation of the ground floors of the building, the conventional asphalt courtyard typical of commercial buildings was transformed into a year-round urban space open to all.
“The development project added another chapter to the story of the historic building. Developing an existing asset in a central location is the most responsible way to build. It has been extremely inspiring to be involved in enhancing the vitality of Helsinki's city centre by building new experiential urban space and culture," says Principal Designer Asmo Jaaksi from JKMM Architects.
The nominees for the award are Principal Designer Asmo Jaaksi and Structural Designer Teemu Toivio from JKMM Architects and Principal Designer of steel structures Ilkka Mikkola and Senior Structural Designer Pauli Wetterstrand from Sustera Oy.
Renovation of Villa Decker
The protected building is located in Tullisaari in Laajasalo. The extensive renovation has been carried out in an exemplary manner. The end result is of exceptional quality and honours tradition.
“The renovation of Villa Decker has a very special meaning for me, because my mother's great-great-grandfather Henrik Borgström had the house built for his daughter Adèle about 150 years ago,” says villa owner Nanette Borgström.
“Both the villa and the land it stands on are protected. I wanted to use a builder specialising in traditional building methods to ensure that the renovation was done correctly. It has been an easy task to transfer this challenging project to a group where each entrepreneur represents the very best in their field. By keeping Villa Decker in the family, I want to honour and cherish my mother Louise's legacy. She would have really appreciated her grandchildren walking the same steps on the stairs as generations before them.”
The nominees are Kimmo Lehtola, Senior Supervisor from Arkkitehtitoimisto Kimmo Lehtola, contractor Tuomo Rinne from Entisöinti Rinne, Architect Juulia Mikkola from Livady Oy and owner Nanette Borgström.
Kottby Grundskola
The design of the site has required careful harmonisation with the environment, which is valuable in terms of building and cultural history. The space solutions are functional and the technology is well integrated. Special attention has been paid to the matching tones and feel of the finishes and furniture as “God is in the details,” according to the principal designer. The building's peaceful, bright and welcoming interiors create an exceptionally harmonious framework for teaching and the daily lives of schoolchildren.
“The historical and urban context of the site, the lush park and pine-wooded cliffs, and the characteristic solutions of 1950s and 1920s construction serve as an inspiring starting point and inspiration for the design of the new building. We invested in cooperation with users by organising numerous user workshops, where the designs were developed together with an architect from the Education Division," says Erkko Aarti, Principal Designer at AOR Architects.
The nominees for the award are Principal Designer Erkko Aarti and Structural Designer Erica Österlund from AOR Architects, Structural Designer Perttu Virtanen from AINS Group, HVAC Designer Matti Remes from Hepaco, Landscape Designer Matti Liski from Näkymä Oy and Site Supervisor Mikko Peltonen and Supervisor Jani Wilhola from Arkta Rakennuskultti.
Helsinki Rescue Department
The structural fire safety specialists of the Rescue Department provide excellent support for building inspectors in improving the fire and personal safety of projects.
This is how they commented on their nomination:
“It is a pleasant surprise and an honour to be nominated. Working as a structural fire safety specialist in the Helsinki area is a multifaceted job that combines technical solutions, design and practical problem solving. The most rewarding part of the job is that we get to make a concrete contribution to the implementation and design of safe buildings. Every project is a learning experience, and that's what keeps our work interesting and develops our professional skills.”
Structural fire safety specialists Arto Sydänhelmi, Esko Rantanen, Katja Seppälä, Henri Nummelin, Pulmu Waitinen, Sampsa Oksanen and Kimmo Kartano are nominated for the award.
