The new building to be constructed at Malmin kalmistotie will be used for the temporary storage of bodies awaiting burial or cremation. Bodies from hospitals and care homes in Helsinki will be stored in the centralised mortuary.
The construction of the mortuary was originally supposed to start at the start of the year, but refining the plan affected the schedule. After deciding the storage solution in more detail, the maximum cost of the project also increased to around EUR 12.9 million with the 2023 cost levels. The exact increase of the maximum price compared to the indexed maximum price is EUR 2,990,144 exclusive of VAT, when the costs were first assessed to be EUR 10.5 million. The Helsinki City Board will discuss the increased total price in its meeting on 4 March, after which the matter will be decided on by the City Council. If the increase to the total price is approved in the planned schedule, the construction can be started in May.
In the mortuary, bodies will be stored in multiple-body refrigeration units equipped with automatic lifts. In the specified plan, the number of places for bodies was significantly increased and the technical solutions for the facilities were changed. The plan now includes a larger refrigeration system than before to ensure the temperature of the units remains stable. Bodies will be stored in five multiple-body refrigeration units and a few separate cold rooms.
New building to alleviate Helsinki’s storage space shortage
The City of Helsinki has a shortage of storage space for the deceased. In the next decade, some 120 storage places will be decommissioned in senior centres, for example. The growing and ageing population and longer storage periods of bodies also bring challenges. Many of the current facilities also do not allow mourners to say their farewells or prepare the deceased for their final journey.
In addition to storage space, the new building will have spaces for the purpose of saying farewell, and the needs of different cultures have been taken into account in the design of these spaces.