Kalasatama Campus is located in Kalasatama, a new district close to the city center of Helsinki. After the harbour moved out, Kalasatama is rapidly developing the seafront into a modern urban residential and commercial district. The new Campus enjoys a prominent position next door to the Redi shopping mall and within a stone’s throw from the metro station which has trains reaching central Helsinki within 10 minutes.  To the west, is the old Slaughter House area and the fast developing Suvilahti with its many services.

The Kalasatama Campus is made up of an urban block with its own distinct identity. This has enabled not only a wholistic vision for the campus but has also resulted in a strong architectonic presence.

The building complex embodies important values such as functionality and consciousness. The architecture reaffirms these values through its interpretation of Modernist Scandinavian principles, highlighting durability and authenticity. This approach also combines the immediacy of clarity of vision with care and attention for details and purposeful design. 

The Campus has light brick elevations that have been laid in situ and that alternate with exposed fair-faced concrete as well as large panels of glazing.  From the outside, the warm tones of timber used in the building’s arcades and roof terrace are visible and add another layer to the architecture’s sense of materiality.

The interiors reinforce the language of the building’s exterior.  Architectural detailing combined with a pared-down approach to spaces that are generous and easily legible facilitates way finding throughout the Campus. The material palette has been selected so that it feels natural, for example, with its oak floors and ceilings lined in pinewood.

Majority of the building is made of K-Kampus, the new headquarters of Kesko, the biggest retailing conglomerate in Finland. The new Kesko headquarters in Helsinki completed in the summer 2019 and are now the offices of some 1800 members of staff who are working for the retail group specialising in groceries as well as the building and technical trade.  K-Kampus also acts as a showroom for Kesko’s products and services.

K-Kampus fills major part of the urban block, which gave the possibility to develop the best possible concept for working: modern flexible Campus gathered around a glazed atrium space. The interiors all wrap around a glazed atrium where a scaled up staircase is a visual focal point, acting as a meeting point as well as a symbol for communality.  In addition to the actual office floors, the Campus restaurant, cafe and other break out spaces are equipped so that these too can be used as both meeting and working areas. The variety of workspaces on offer ensures that individual needs and collaboration can be addresses in a convivial way.  The contemporary feel of the office environment is futureproofed for changes in working methods in years to come.

The building has strong focus on innovative sustainable principles.