An exceptional scaffolding and weather protection project at Helsinki's most prestigious address
– Projects of this level of complexity come across our desk rather rarely. The whole thing challenged us and the contractor to find entirely new solutions together – particularly when it came to questions around the weather protection foundations, says Joni Pulkkinen, Project Supervisor at Telinekataja Group.
– The collaboration with the contractor has consistently been professional and solution oriented. In my view, this project is an excellent demonstration that even the toughest challenges can be overcome through open dialogue, says Project SupervisorJoni Pulkkinen.
A commercial property project is currently underway on Mannerheimintie in Helsinki, opposite the Svenska Teatern, where a heritage building of nearly 150 years is being comprehensively modernised.
What makes the project particularly notable is that the existing technical building services floor is being completely removed from the rooftop. In its place, two new floors of office space and a roof terrace will be added – all carried out under weather protection.
Telinekataja Group has been involved in the project since autumn 2025. It designed and delivered a comprehensive package of temporary structures, including weather protection to cover the top floor during demolition, and scaffolding for the street-facing and courtyard-facing facades.
Telinekataja Group's installation team, with its versatile equipment, has also supported the contractor in the day-to-day running of the site – individual scaffolding needs have been met on an almost continuous basis. According to the contractor, the service has matched their needs well, and the installers have been not only skilled but also flexible and quick to respond. Site management has always been reachable whenever broader discussions about the work have been needed.
A heritage building in a dense urban block set the bar high
Scaffold Designer Jacob Kukkohovi describes the scaffolding and weather protection project as exceptionally challenging from the outset.
– The area is tight and the building is part of a dense urban block – in practice, it sits right up against neighbouring buildings. On top of that, the facade facing Mannerheimintie is heritage-listed. These factors placed strict constraints on how the scaffolding could be anchored and how the weather protection could be founded, Kukkohovi explains.
– We also had to anticipate during the planning stage that the initial weather protection foundation – the existing roof structure – would be demolished, and that the height of the weather protection would need to change as the demolition and construction progressed, he adds.
Telinekataja Group opted for an exceptional solution: the foundations for the weather protection needed during the construction of the new floors were built using TwixBeam beams, supported on the HVAC equipment bases on the neighbouring building's roof.
– Using TwixBeam beams allowed us to build the foundation with greater freedom – with dimensions that deviate from our standard modular foundation system, Kukkohovi says.
– There were quite a few rounds of structural calculations involved. Finding a workable solution was ultimately a joint show of strength between us and the contractor in a very demanding situation. Throughout the site, there has been a constant spirit of pulling together. The expertise of professionals from different fields has complemented each other well, he says.
TwixBeam beams were used in the weather protection foundations. – Using them for this purpose is unusual. The project gave us valuable learning points for future sites too, says designer Jacob Kukkohovi.
Scaffolding matters in safe professional hands
The Mannerheimintie project is therefore progressing on a solid footing. The comprehensive modernisation project is due to be completed in early 2027. And while the work is sometimes carried out under tight schedules, safety is never compromised.
– This has been a challenging and interesting project, where safety has guided everything we do. We have been able to meet the quality requirements expected of professionals like us. I want to extend my sincere thanks to our installers, designers and the whole team – and above all, to the contractor, Pulkkinen concludes.
ABAB, operating in Sweden, is part of Telinekataja Group – the leading Nordic specialist in scaffolding, weather protection solutions and other temporary structures. We plan and deliver solutions tailored to the needs of the industry, the client and the worksite, covering renovation, new construction and infrastructure projects, industrial maintenance, and equipment and machinery installation. Quality is at the heart of everything we do, achieved through superior planning, reliable technical solutions and the expertise of our skilled personnel.
Share article
You might also be interested in
