Imatra GIS
Electricity Substation for Virkkunen & Co Architects
The project is composed of an electricity substation building and five designer powerline structures, set in the national landscape of Imatrankoski rapids in Eastern Finland. Balance with the surrounding landscape has been the foremost goal of the design. The substation is a plain concrete structure clad over with a double-skin of hand-made long bricks laid in a zig-zag profile. The triangular motif of the brick cladding is repeated in the steel profiles of the new powerline structures. The design breaks apart aspects of the built context and reassembles them in a new abstracted form.
Download Press Kit № 120944
Download Press Kit № 120944 Electricity Substation for Virkkunen & Co Architects by Tuomas Kivinen to access high-res images, essential texts, translations, and exclusive interviews—all in one.
Available Now for Your Next Story
At architecture|newsroom, we understand the pressures and deadlines journalists face. That’s why we offer exclusive access to our curated press kits and high-resolution images, tailored for accredited journalists. These resources are designed to enrich your stories with depth and visual appeal, spotlighting the world's most innovative designs.
Please Note:
- Credit the work's creator and/or photographer.
- Mention architecture|newsroom as your source.
- Share your published pieces with us; we love to celebrate and promote your work on our platform and social media.
Let’s Collaborate: Your stories matter. architecture|newsroom is here to support you with quality, accessible content. Once you are accredited, reach out for the images and content you need. We will provide the specific images and content directly, along with recommendations on works to feature.
Get Accredited Easily: Quick access to our resources requires media accreditation. Apply for media accreditation to join our network and start exploring a wealth of design stories.
Imatra GIS by Tuomas Kivinen
Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.
Electricity Substation by Tuomas Kivinen
Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.
Tuomas Kivinen Imatra GIS
Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.
Tuomas Kivinen Electricity Substation
Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.
Virkkunen amp Co ArchitectsBrand Logo
Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.
Tuomas Kivinen Corporate Logo
Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.
Imatra GIS Electricity Substation Press Releases
Access press releases crafted for Imatra GIS in these languages: English.
Imatra GIS Electricity Substation Media Articles
Access our collection of Imatra GIS articles, ready for use and offered in languages: Turkish, Arabic (Standard), Portuguese, Dutch, English, Italian, Indonesian, German, Chinese (Mandarin), Hindi, Korean, Japanese, Russian, French and Spanish.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Project Overview
Imatra GIS Electricity Substation has been a Silver winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design award category in the year 2020 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
Silver Recognition
Tuomas Kivinen was recognized with the coveted Silver A' Design Award in 2021, a testament to excellence of their work Imatra GIS Electricity Substation.
Tuomas Kivinen Press Releases
Our press releases on Tuomas Kivinen and their work are made freely available for press members looking to add depth to their content. Now available: Immediate access to 1 press releases for journalists.
Imatra GIS: A Stunning Electricity Substation Project in Eastern Finland
Imatra GIS, an electricity substation project designed by Tuomas Kivinen, beautifully integrates into the national landscape of Imatrankoski rapids in Eastern Finland, completed in 2020.
Tuomas Kivinen Newsroom
Step into Tuomas Kivinen Newsroom for a showcase of exemplary design and recognized projects.
