The new wooden daycare centre for pre-school children in the town of Evijärvi, Finland, was completed on 31 July. The building welcomed its occupants just a week after completion. This 34-place facility was built by Finnlamelli, a well-known company that builds high-quality wooden houses. The company's scope of operations is expanding to include public buildings, as wooden structures provide healthy indoor air, fast assembly, and cost-effectiveness.
Although Finnlamelli has gained recognition for its high-quality wooden houses, it is also involved in implementing wooden construction projects for businesses and public organisations, including schools, daycare centres, restaurants, resorts, and townhouses. While single-family homes remain the foundation of Finnlamelli's business, the company's role in public and B2B (business to business) projects is constantly growing. Clients are drawn to Finnlamelli by its good reputation and competitive prices.
“We won the project for the Evijärvi kindergarten by participating in an open tender. Cost was the deciding factor in the project; we offered the most advantageous solution,” explains Finnlamelli project manager Pentti Pajala.
User-friendly solutions adapted to client needs
Public buildings require quality and safety combined with simple and user-friendly solutions that contribute to cost-effectiveness.
“In such projects, the goal is not to create architectural marvels, but to start from the needs of the user. Our goal is to create a practical and comfortable building that suits the activities carried out within it,” continues P. Pajala. According to him, the future users of the daycare centre – pre-school education specialists – particularly appreciate the building's compact size and cosy atmosphere. Pentti Pajala also pointed out that small municipalities prefer small centres where several functions are included in one building. “Smaller units are economically easier to manage, and the threshold for making decisions about the construction of a new unit is lower if costs remain reasonable.”
Affordable price without compromising quality
However, Finnlamelli does not compromise material quality or construction standards to achieve an affordable price. The favourable price is the result of experience and simplified construction techniques.
“Our strengths are project management and extensive experience in wooden structure construction. Finnlamelli builds hundreds of 'turnkey' single-family houses every year. We have gained a great deal of experience and are also applying a functional approach to our project business,” emphasised Pentti Pajala.
From an empty plot of land to a completed building in 4.5 months
The Evijärvi kindergarten was built using Finnlamelli RYHTI massive spruce logs, which can be installed quickly and economically. Finnlamelli RYHTI logs ensure a uniquely sustainable and aesthetic modern log-building architecture.
The Evijärvi daycare centre for pre-school children was completed in just 4.5 months from the start of the project.
“It is quite amazing that such a building can be completed from start to finish in just a few months. In Evijärvi, we began the assembly of the wooden frame on 5 April, and on 31 July we handed over the completed building to the client. A week later, the little kindergarten attendees moved into the new pre-school education rooms designed specifically for them,” P. Pajala says, describing the building process.