References

Finlandia Hall is a cultural center designed by architect Alvar Aalto, located on the shore of Töölönlahti in Helsinki. It was completed in 1971 and is one of the landmarks of Finnish architecture.

The interior of the building features many characteristics typical of Aalto’s works, such as asymmetrical shapes and natural materials. The interior staircases, concert hall, and foyers use white marble, and their architecture is inspired by the architectures of ancient Italy and Greece.

Finlandia Hall is a protected site, and preserving its structural components is important for cultural heritage. The protected architecture and details cannot be altered in appearance, nor is it permitted to damage the protected surfaces.

In 2022, a comprehensive renovation project was initiated at the hall, aiming to update its services and spaces. Activities in the hall will continue in the early part of 2025.

Objective: Managing asbestos without demolishing structures

Picture 2. The structures targeted by the coating project are located in the Finlandia Hall’s foyer, the Piazza.

The biggest challenge in preserving the interior marble surfaces of Finlandia Hall was the location of asbestos in the ventilation ductwork and the space between the ductwork and the partition wall.

Demolishing the structures would have required tearing down the marble walls, thus going against important conservation values. The goal was set to preserve the existing marble surfaces and ensure the tightness of the ducts and building material shafts. The chosen action was to clean and coat the existing ducts and shaft with a durable and long-lasting product.

Solution in accordance with conservation values through the collaboration of three parties

The project’s management, Mika Heimala from the City of Helsinki and Antero Hönö from Indepro Oy, wanted to find a solution for managing asbestos without demolishing the structures. They contacted Jan Andersson from Suomen Hormistokeskus, who has experience with demanding coatings.

After investigations, various solutions were found, leading to a biobased product made in Finland, which has been used in various hazardous substance management projects. The trio first examined the ductwork and the space between the ductwork and the partition wall. The investigations confirmed that this biobased coating would be the most suitable product for coating the ventilation ducts and structures.

Picture 3. The goal was to manage the asbestos without demolishing the white marble surfaces.

The coating was first tested in one duct. Before the trial work was carried out at the installation site, the amount of asbestos in the room air was measured. Then, Suomen Hormistokeskus, together with an asbestos contractor, cleaned and coated the interior surfaces of the ductwork and shaft. The coating was applied using a domestic spray system and a compressed air-powered cartridge spray gun.

After the coating work, the cleanliness of the installation site was verified with air measurements.

Significant savings in costs and waste

After the trial work, a meeting was held with different parties involved, including the client’s representatives, the main contractor, asbestos contracting, sample takers, experts from the Regional State Administrative Agency, representatives from the National Board of Antiquities, and Suomen Hormistokeskus. The meeting confirmed that coating asbestos with a biobased coating was the right solution.

Suomen Hormistokeskus coated the remaining ventilation ducts and the spaces between the ducts and walls. Asbestos samples were taken before and after installation in all installation sites, and the results showed the spaces were clean again.

Picture 4. The best circular economy is leaving the structures as they are.

As a result, the new asbestos management method saved costs significantly. Project Manager Heimala reports that the set goals were excellently achieved.

“The best circular economy is leaving the structures as they are. This objective, along with the conservation values, was realized in this project.”

Suomen Hormistokeskus, together with TKR and the domestic equipment manufacturer, enabled the preservation of the original structures of Finlandia Hall, a symbol of Finland.