Bryga is a public rooftop park located on the roof of the shopping centre Redi in Kalasatama Helsinki. Kalasatama is a new, rapidly growing residential area built on a former industrial harbour on the east coast of the inner city of Helsinki. Redi is a particularly large building complex in the scale of Finland, and it creates a new urban node in the area of Kalasatama. Redi consists of the shopping centre, underground parking and eight over 30-floor height towers. Two of the towers are currently realized. Through the complex runs a metro line and a highway connection to the east of Helsinki.
Bryga park forms, together with four courtyards of the high-rise buildings, an exceptionally vast outdoor space, nearly 1,4 hectares, all of which are built on top of roof structures. Bryga by itself is 0,7 hectares. The courtyards will be realized alongside the high-rise buildings in the near future. Park together with the courtyards forms the fifth façade of Redi.
Bryga is an important part of the public outdoor spaces of Kalasatama. Together with Kalasatama park and English square, they form a unanimous landscape architectural concept designed by Maanlumo that creates a recognizable identity for the new area. The main theme of the outdoor spaces reflects the history of Kalasatama first as an archipelago and later as an industrial harbour.
The concept of Bryga is based on the landscape and nature of the Helsinki archipelago and the building of Redi is seen as an island. The imaginary seawater flows through the park between the rocks and vegetation, shaping the terrain and creating the meandering pathways of Bryga. The materials, vegetation and structures follow the same theme highlighting the shapes and spaces of the park.
The pathways meander through the naturally shaped small mounds of vegetation. The playground and resting areas are located between the mounds. All the surfaces and paths are designed so that the rainwater runs naturally to the vegetation areas. Next to the main route is a stormwater channel that collects the excess water from the surfaces and works as the flood route of the park.
The challenging location of the park on the roof made stormwater management and ecologically sustainable solutions a major part of the design. 35 per cent of the park surface is vegetation and 18 per cent are other water-permeable materials. The vegetation surfaces add to the diversity of urban nature and improve the microclimate, acoustics and wind conditions. The park has over 50 different species of plants that represent the archipelago theme, like conifers, perennials and different kinds of grasses. The plants endure the difficult climate circumstances on the roof: changing conditions of humidity and strong winds. The entire roof has a drainage and water storage element under the surface that detains the water for the plants and balances the humidity conditions.
The eleven 4,2-meter-high steel structure pergolas that follow the main shapes of the park are reminiscences of the former industrial and fishing harbour of Kalasatama. The pergola structures create a human scale next to the high-rise towers. The steel meshes on the vertical and horizontal surfaces of the pergolas provide a base for the climber plants to grow on and they also provide protection from the wind. All the electrical infrastructure and lights of the park are integrated into the pergola structures as well as art lighting. Lighting matrixes with led lights are attached to the horizontal steel meshes. The art lighting follows the movement of the local wind, and it moves calmly from one pergola to another creating a slow wave-like movement.
The park is open during the daytime. You can access the park from the shopping centre with an elevator. Outside there is a stair connection from the English square and a bike and pedestrian ramp from the Junatie street. Bryga has spaces for multiple functions. On the east side of the park, there is a small event square that can host pop-up events, outdoor galleries etc. In the centre of the park, there is a playground that provides activities for different age groups. Around Bryga there are multiple places for resting and picnicking. From the west end of the park, you can enjoy long views of the park and to the skyline of Helsinki.
Bryga represents future design solutions where all areas of the city are considered valuable and design process is multidisciplinary. The park adds an ecological and visual value to the surroundings that otherwise would be considered very technical and even hostile. Next to the high-rise buildings the park provides a human scale and the natural shapes of the park soften the hard environment. Bryga enriches the local environment and provides a place for urban culture to grow. It combines architecture, landscape architecture, lighting design, art and ecological solutions.
Role of the entrant in the project: Landscape Architectural Designer in charge, grade A
Architect in charge of the shopping centre and the towers: Architecture office Helin & Co Ltd.
Construction design (Structures of the park and part of the roof structure situated on top of the Junatie street): Sitowise Ltd.
Construction design (Roof structure and pergolas): Sweco Rakennetekniikka Ltd.
Hvac- and electricity: Ramboll Finland Ltd.
Lighting design: Lighting Design Collective Ltd.
Infographics design: Dog Design Ltd.
Landscape constructor (of the park): Terrawise Ltd.
Constructor of the pergolas: Rakennus Huuhka Ltd.
Project location: Kalasatama, Helsinki, Finland
Address: Englantilaisaukio 4, 5th floor, 00580 Helsinki, Finland
Design year: 2014-2018
Year Built: 2018
Photos: Mika Huisman / Decopic
Designers: Maanlumo /
