The company
Architects Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Ltd. was founded in 1997 in Helsinki. The partners of the company are Professor Ilmari Lahdelma, and Professor Rainer Mahlamäki, both members of the SAFA (Finnish Architects Association). The partners are working together since 1985, having previously worked together at Architects Company 8Studio in Tampere and at Architects Kaira-Lahdelma-Mahlamäki, Helsinki.
Assignments
Our team has extensive experience in all aspects of architecture: public buildings, residential buildings, renovation projects, urban planning as well as interior architecture and furniture design. Significant part of our work has started thru architectural competitions, in which the partners have received 36 first prizes (and 47 other prizes)! The latest winning competition entry was for the Pirkkala Town Hall invited competition. Clients
Our main clients include the State of Finland, municipalities like Helsinki, Kotka, Espoo, Kauniainen, Vaasa, Rauma, Lohja, Oulu and Joensuu, and the universities of Tampere and Helsinki as well as parishes and private constructors. Our Polish clients are the State of Poland and the City of Warsaw.
Residential buildings
We have been designing residential buildings since 1996. Many of our residential building projects are located in Salo. The ‘Bulevardin Aaria’, part of the residential quarter of Sinebrychoff in Helsinki was finished in 2000. The residential building of Helsingin Pasaatituuli was completed in 2006. The residential buildings for the Viikki area in Helsinki were completed in 2009. The last two winning design competitions from 2007 concerned the Cygnaeus Park Residential area in Jyväskylä and the Lindholm Triangle in Espoo. New Residential Building designs have started in Jyväskylä, Helsinki and Tampere.
Urban planning
One of our main interests is in land use and urban planning. During recent years, we have been involved in town planning for, among others, the former Finlayson factory area in Tampere, a general plan for the Gunnarla area of Lohja, which included residential and commercial premises, and surveys for developing areas of Espoo, Helsinki, Turku, Hamina and Jyväskylä. Our office has taken part in three major area studies: one of them was the study of a possible new harbour area in Kirkkonummi for the City of Helsinki, two other were City Centre competitions invited by construction companies: in year 2000 in Helsinki for the Kamppi Centre (and Main Bus Terminal) and in 2005-06 for the city centre area in Tampere.
Renovation
A major renovation project 1999 – 2002 concerned the Aurora hospital area on blocks 1, 14 and 15 in Helsinki. The Vaasa Main Library project (completed in 2001) also included the renovation of the old library building. The Lohja Upper Secondary School was a renovation project.
Computer aided design
We have invested in CAD and we currently have 30 state-of-the-art PC workstations with broadband connections. Our software platforms include Autodesk Architectural Desktop, McNeel Rhinoceros, Photoshop and Illustrator.
