Katajanokan Laituri is a modern solid wood building on Finnish capital Helsinki's shoreline that complements the city's signature skyline next to the Market Square, and houses the design hotel, Solo Sokos Hotel Pier 4, which aspires to be the most sustainable hotel in the country.

Designed by award-winning Anttinen Oiva Architects, the building also houses the head office of Finnish forest industry company Stora Enso, which also supplied the solid wood load-bearing elements of the building.

With the upcoming Museum of Architecture and Design, the area is developing into a new hub of art and design beside the sea.

Developing the city's building stock plays a key role in achieving the sustainability goals. It is important for Helsinki to create a lively urban environment and to make the city's 131-kilometre shoreline even more accessible to locals and visitors, a statement said.

"The aim of transforming the Katajanokka shoreline area is to create a lively urban space. With this project, we will be able to open the shoreline to the people of Helsinki,” said Deputy Mayor Anni Sinnemaki.

“A building made of wood, that is durable and has as low a carbon footprint as possible meets the city’s goals.”

Katajanokan Laituri, which is owned by Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company, is a four-storey building that is made from Finnish and Swedish timber, and combines pioneering architectural methods with traditional and sustainable materials.

Wooden structures have been left visible in the interior as much as possible, and nature is also strongly present: in addition to solar panels, the building features a multi-species green roof, and a small birch tree forest is growing in hotel’s atrium.

The building functions as a carbon storage and is designed to last for the next 100 years. Flood protection also makes the building future proof, as it can withstand a water level rise of more than 3 metres.

Stora Enso’s former head office designed by legendary Finnish architect Alvar Aalto is located right next to the new building. The district is otherwise known for its Art Nouveau architecture from the beginning of the 20th century. A short walk away is Helsinki's historic centre designed by Carl Ludvig Engel.

The new Solo Sokos Hotel Pier 4 aims to be the most sustainable hotel in Finland in terms of everything from the building itself to the hotel’s functions and services. A LEED Platinum environmental certificate will be applied for the whole building aiming for carbon neutrality and using energy solely from renewable sources.

The hotel said that it will also apply for Green Key and Sustainable Travel Finland certificates.

The hotel has 164 rooms, 43 of which afford unobstructed views to the sea. It also has conference facilities, a seaside café and a rooftop terrace with views over the Market Square and South Harbour.​

The hotel restaurant Harbore is led by Sauli Kemppainen, a Finnish chef with passion for simplicity and pure taste. He has previously been awarded a Michelin star.

Each dish at Harbore consists of only two main ingredients prepared in various ways, such as reindeer and onion, with Finnish and Nordic produce accounting for up to 85% of all ingredients used.​ – TradeArabia News Service