A unique residential area with log houses will be built in Riihikallio, Tuusula. Riisula Oy will build two housing companies on a rocky hill. The houses, designed by architect Marko Simsiö, have large windows that merge the houses with the surroundings. Pre-marketing for these homes for those who value quality will begin in autumn 2021.
Modern log houses close to nature and services
The vision of Aarno and Ilmari Sjöblom, brothers who own Riisula Oy, is that the homes will offer high-quality, modern living close to nature.
They chose Honkarakenne as their partner at an early stage. Ilmari Sjöblom says that this was an easy choice thanks to Honka’s strong brand known for its high quality. Sjöblom believes that the partnership with Honka will help market the homes and reach the potential buyers.
Two out of the ten houses in the housing company are designed by architect Marko Simsiö. The housing companies will consist of terraced and semi-detached houses with two or three bedrooms and a floor area of 80–100 m². The large terraces of the two-storey buildings will face the best views and directions. The floor plans are designed with modifiability in mind, to allow for changes as the residents’ life situations change. Although it’s a quiet area, it’s nevertheless close to basic services with excellent connections. The primary and lower secondary school is just 300 metres away.
One of the key themes for Riisula, which operates only in Tuusula, was to have a local approach, as Honkarakenne has had an exhibition area in Tuusula for a long time. As builders, Riisula stands out with its high quality requirements, and so the targets will market themselves. The Sjöblom brothers see log construction as a welcome next step for them also from this viewpoint.
Ilmari Sjöblom says that they had no trouble sharing Honka’s ecological values, which he believes will be of interest to the potential customers, too.
Selecting logs as the building material was an ethical choice for climate reasons. Logs sequester and store carbon dioxide from the air, making them an environmentally friendly construction material.
Clear indoor air and modern design on environmental terms
Ilmari Sjöblom says the Riihikallio homes will capture the interest of customers that appreciate high quality, nature and the sensory-friendliness of logs. There have been plenty of problems with indoor air in Tuusula, especially in public buildings. Owing to the breathability of logs, whoever buys a home in Riihikallio won’t have to worry about that, which according to Sjöblom means less stress for the builders.
It’s obvious to the Riisula brothers that a unique environment requires a construction solution to match it. Log is a luxurious material for those with a discerning taste, and therefore an excellent choice. According to Marko Simsiö, the houses will combine Finnish building traditions and townhouse living, including modern elements, such as dark metal, large glass walls and tin roofs. The surroundings merge with homes through the large glass surfaces. In addition to the traditional architectural language, logs will be left visible, reflecting the natural tones of the environment.
The unique location for the houses and the modern design that nevertheless respects traditions create a combination of a new type of log home that has not been seen in Tuusula yet.
Additional information:
Markus Saarelainen, Honkarakenne Ltd, Project Sales Manager, +358 40 596 6007, markus.saarelainen@honka.com
Aarno Sjöblom, Riisula-rakennus Oy, CEO, +358 40 536 4927, aarno.sjoblom@riisula.fi
Honkarakenne Ltd supplies healthy and ecological high-quality log homes, holiday homes and public buildings. Its buildings are made from Finnish solid wood under the Honka brand. The company has delivered 85,000 buildings to over 50 countries. We manufacture our home packages in Finland, at our own factory located in Karstula. In 2020, Honkarakenne Group’s consolidated net sales totalled EUR 52.9 million, of which exports accounted for 30%. www.honka.com
Riisula is a family business in third generation engaged in new construction and real estate management and maintenance. www.riisula.fi
