Imatra GIS Nënstacion Elektrik by Virkkunen and Co Architects

Imatra GIS Nënstacion Elektrik by Virkkunen and Co Architects is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 Çmimi i Argjendtë A' Design Award in Dizajni i Arkitekturës, Ndërtesave dhe Strukturave Competition Category.

ArgjendiArkitekturë· 2021

Imatra GIS Nënstacion Elektrik

by Virkkunen and Co Architects

Client: Virkkunen & Co Architects

Çmimi i Argjendtë A' Design Award Winner in Arkitekturë Category

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The Design

About Imatra GIS Nënstacion Elektrik

Imatra GIS është një nënstacion elektrik i vendosur në peizazhin e shpejtësirave të Imatrankoskit në Finlandën Lindore. Projekti përfshin një ndërtesë nënstacioni dhe pesë shtylla energjie e terminale. Ndërtesa ka një skelet betoni dhe fasada me lëkurë të dyfishtë. Shtresa e jashtme është bërë prej tullash të gjata të punuara me dorë, të vendosura në një profil zig-zag dhe të mbështetura nga një skelet çeliku. Strukturat e transmetimit janë bërë prej profilesh çeliku trekëndëshe të salduara. Dizajni ndan aspekte të kontekstit të ndërtuar dhe rimonton elementet në një formë të re të abstraguar, në ekuilibër me peizazhin përreth.

The Recognition

About the Çmimi i Argjendtë A' Design Award

Imatra GIS Nënstacion Elektrik është fitues i Çmimit të Argjendtë A' Design Award, një njohje jashtëzakonisht prestigjioze që u akordohet dizajneve të nivelit më të lartë, mahnitëse dhe mbresëlënëse. Fituesit e Argjendtë janë vepra tejet brilante dhe jashtëzakonisht krijuese që ilustrojnë ekspertizën, talentin dhe mprehtësinë e shquar të dizajnerëve të tyre. Imatra GIS Nënstacion Elektrik pritet të jetë një vepër e mrekullueshme, vitrinë e vërtetë e mjeshtërisë, jashtëzakonisht profesionale dhe thellësisht inovative. Ky dizajn fitues i Çmimit të Argjendtë A' Design Award është një shpikje shumë e shquar dhe e admiruar që sjell dobi dhe zgjeron kufijtë e artit, shkencës, dizajnit dhe teknologjisë. Imatra GIS Nënstacion Elektrik është një krijim shumë i dëshiruar që ngjall dëshira, sjell ndjenja pozitive dhe zgjon habi e mahnitje.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The project is composed of an electricity substation building and an array of five designer power pylons and terminals, set in the national landscape of Imatrankoski rapids in Eastern Finland. The new structures were designed to be in balance with the surrounding landscape. Their design breaks apart aspects of the built context and reassembles them in a new abstracted form. A combination of hand-made and industrial materials and structures is used to achieve this.
Dimensions & Packaging: The substation building floor area: 965 sqm. Length x width x height of the building 44,1 m x 13,2 m x 8,1 m.
Tags: infrastructure, architecture, landscape, electricity substation, transmission, power line, brick, concrete, steel
Production Technology: The substation building has a concrete frame and double-skin facades. The outermost facade layer consists of hand-made long bricks laid in a zig-zag profile. The brick cladding is supported by a steel frame fixed to the inner concrete facades. The concrete structure consists of pre-fabricated and in-situ parts. The transmission structures are made of triangular welded steel profiles. They consist of workshop-made, coated pre-fabricated sections assembled and erected on the site without welding.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was architectural rather than technical, due to the qualities of the surrounding landscape and the history of the area. Visual and structural coherence of the distinct parts and general sensitivity to the context were methods for overcoming this challenge. We arrived at the final design through a process of elimination. Dozens of prototype 3D models were evaluated for impact in a detailed and accurate site model based on an extensive point-cloud data set of the area.
Research: We used site visits and literature sources for determining visual and historical factors that would most influence and serve the design. Literature about the history of the landscape, tourism, architecture, and industry in the area was used. The finding that had the most impact on the design was based on the analysis of the external architecture of the old hydropower plant: the rhythm of the facade openings, and the materials used in the buildings.
Inspiration: The beautiful landscape and the historical significance of the area were the primary sources of inspiration for us. The existing, impressive industrial architecture of the context was another major factor in the design. The guiding principle has been that the new structures should form a clearly defined new historical layer. They would also have to be timeless and combine harmoniously with the context. We sought to further elevate the beauty of the site.
Project Duration: Project completed: 2020
Location: Imatra, Finland
Operation Flow: Imatra electricity substation and the transmission structures are not fenced off from the surroundings and they can be approached freely. The substation is an unmanned facility that is mainly remote-controlled from a central control room located off-site. It is visited regularly for inspection and maintenance purposes by trained personnel. In the main process equipment room, the users control the switchgear equipment on a workstation designed for this purpose.
Team Members: Tuomas Kivinen
Anna Blomqvist
Maria Karjalainen
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Tuomas Kivinen, 2020.
Image #2: Photographer Tuomas Kivinen, 2021.
Image #3: Photographer Tuomas Kivinen, 2020.
Image #4: Photographer Tuomas Kivinen, 2021.
Image #5: Photographer Tuomas Kivinen, 2021.