House Spaak | AVARRUS Architects

House Spaak is an exceptional building project where historical and modern wooden architecture combines. The new terraced house comprises an idyllic entirety with Konstaapeli Spaak’s log house which was erected around 1730. Designed by AVARRUS Architects, these terraced apartments have a solid wood frame and natural ventilation. Whereas Spaak’s log-frame house was renovated with piety into sauna and workshops for the residents.

These ecological terraced apartments made of solid wood were built by combining modern style with traditional values in a historic park where Helsinki was founded in the 16th century. The old and the new building comprises a natural pair in the middle of the preserved park. Between the buildings, there is a shared garden.

Both gable roof timber houses are painted with red ochre. House Spaak has also parts painted with yellow ochre. The frame of this modern building consists of logs and CLT-elements. In addition, the technology inside of the building is made in a traditional and simple way; both houses have nowadays in Finland very rare natural ventilation. Every apartment is built around a heat-saving brick wall, which also hides inside exhaust ventilation ducts, as well as chimneys of the fireplaces. Basic heating for both houses is provided by properties own ground heating system.

The new building has three nearly 100 sqm 1,5-storied three-bedroom family apartments. Downstairs from the entrance opens a luminous view towards the airy living room with an open plan kitchen. In addition, there is a bedroom and bathroom downstairs.
Between the kitchen and the living room is a heat-saving fireplace, which creates warmth and ambiance to space. From the living room, you can also enter to the terrace through sliding doors. On the contrary, the upstairs is where two pitched roof bedrooms and a bathroom are placed, light and width is achieved with French doors.

The atmosphere of the interior consists of strong materials; CLT-boards and the surfaces of massive logs bring warmth, a polished concrete floor brings elegance, while brick walls create the feeling of fortitude.
Every apartment has an own additional space with a fireplace which can be used for instance as a workshop or a guest room. In addition to this, there is a common bathroom with a wood-burning sauna, as well as a living space with a fireplace.

Project Info:
Architects: AVARRUS Architects
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Architect in Charge: Pauli Siponen
Area: 450 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Ville Vappula Photography
Manufacturers: Pihla, Tiileri, Ollikaisen Hirsirakenne Oy, Nunnauuni, Ekovilla, Crosslam, NIBE
Design Team: Pauli Siponen, Atte Aaltonen, Niilo Ikonen
Project Name: House Spaak