By Olla Architecture, Sweco
Länsisalmi Power Station has a significant task, as it transmits electricity to the Helsinki capital area region, serving around 800 000 people. In addition, the substation is in a visible location in terms of traffic. Because of this, one of the main goals of architectural design was to create an architecturally interesting and memorable landmark for those passing by.
The architectural concept of the substation is inspired by electricity and its visual manifestation, light, as well as the fascinating and unintentionally beautiful aesthetics of electrical equipment. The placement of the buildings on the site and their floor plans are designed under the terms of functionality, however, without setting strict limits to the creative and open-minded architectural expression. As a result, the usual gray and expressionless transformer buildings have been given a light-filled appearance at the Länsiasema power station. Additionally, a landscape portal with a standard vertical grid structure was shaped into a 50-meter-high iconic arch.
