The façade renovation of Helsinki’s Postitalo was an exceptionally demanding project, where the original appearance of the protected building had to be preserved as accurately as possible while making the massive external wall structure technically functional and ventilated.
According to the project’s principal designer, Heikki Pietiläinen, collaboration with BRIX went extremely well. He particularly valued BRIX’s genuine interest in developing and adapting the existing system specifically for Postitalo.
The adaptability of the system was important, as the project also brought with it exceptional challenges. One of these was the inclination of the old building, which meant that parts of the façade had to be adapted to suit the building.
The protected building required a flexible and precisely adaptable system
According to Pietiläinen, BRIX’s ventilated panel system was effectively the only solution available on the market that made it possible to carry out this type of renovation while preserving the façade material of the protected building in a form closely resembling the original and, at the same time, converting the structure into a ventilated one.
According to him, the system also enabled the use of different tile sizes and the implementation of a customised bond pattern, which was essential in a project such as Postitalo. During the design process, detailing was also developed to allow features such as the projecting window frames to be realised in accordance with the original design.
At the early stages of the project, mock-up areas were built and several colour and workmanship samples were reviewed to ensure that the final result would correspond as closely as possible to the building’s original appearance. The Postitalo façade also features distinctive characteristics typical of the building, such as two different tile sizes, a varied bond pattern and a lively colour palette that reflects the original.
The tolerances of the old building presented their own challenges for the implementation
Pietiläinen describes the adaptation of the new system to the old building as one of the most technically demanding aspects of the project. The millimetre-precise panel system had to align with the preserved granite window reveals, where tolerances were in some places several centimetres.
This was precisely where the flexibility of the system proved to be an important advantage. As Pietiläinen points out, the clinker tile layout could be fine-tuned so that junctions and joints could be made to suit the overall appearance, even in challenging areas. Practical solutions for different types of joints were also found on site.
Another successful implementation method was to attach the L-shaped corner tiles for external corners only on site. This allowed the straightness and precise dimensions of the external corners to be verified in place.
A successful result also required careful installation work
Pietiläinen also gives credit to the installers, who carefully carried out the complex substructures around approximately 400 windows. It is precisely in details such as these that it is determined whether an appearance that respects the old building can also be convincingly achieved in practice.
According to him, the BRIX system can be wholeheartedly recommended for similar renovation projects where the materials, details, and appearance of the old building are too valuable to be discarded, but at the same time, the structure must meet modern functional requirements.
