Siparila's TOPCOAT® panels give an elegant look to the balcony facades of Tapiola Feenix

In the heart of Tapiola, Espoo's most prestigious location, a new era in housing is about to be completed, Tapiola Feenix. The cladding of the balcony facades is made of Siparila's TOPCOAT® panel.

Feenix consists of two impressive tower blocks and one lower building, which include approximately 200 apartments and retail premises. The buildings have direct elevator access to the parking garage.

You can rightly say that Feenix is ​​not an ordinary residential building but a carefully designed, architecturally impressive entity. Professor architect SAFA Antti-Matti Siikala, whose previous works include Sanomatalo and New Children's Hospital, is responsible for the Feenix's design.

Feenix's three housing stock companies offer their residents style, quality, and individual quality of life. Luxury shows in the central location, carefully thought-out solutions that make everyday life easier, and exceptionally high-quality material choices.

On the facades of the buildings, large, glazed balconies deservedly grab the attention. The TOPCOAT® system from Siparila has been chosen for the exterior cladding of the balcony facades, with pre-treated panels and concealed fixings to ensure a neat and finished result every time.

TOPCOAT met the project's requirements on appearance and the smoothness of the construction process

The project manager responsible for the entire project, Kristo Herold, has managed the cooperation with Siparila. He represents MaxBuild Oy, which provides project management services for Feenix. Herold says that the first selection criteria for Siparila's TOPCOAT exterior cladding products in this location was to meet the architectural requirements.

"The hidden fastening of TOPCOAT exterior cladding panels corresponds very well to the external goals the architect had set for the site. The brown tone of the panels, roasted wheat, goes well with the railings and windows of the balconies, and the surface meets the objectives at once thanks to the hidden fastening with no nails."

Another important reason for choosing Siparila's TOPCOAT products was the advantages that ready-made surface treatment and hidden fastening brought to the construction process.

"Since the panels are pre-coated and you can fasten them with a hidden fastening system, the construction will proceed without obstacles throughout the winter. This is important for a project of this size, as it spans several seasons. Since there are no visible nails in the panels, they no longer need to be coated after installation, except for the cutting surfaces", explains Herold.

TOPCOAT is an ecological choice that makes everyday life easier

Since the easiness of everyday living is an essential aspect at Feenix, the product choices also had to support it. Durable and long-lasting TOPCOAT met the requirements in this respect as well.

"With our own choices and solutions, we always try to influence the administration of the site and the ease of everyday life for the future residents", states Herold.

"At first, I was a little worried when the architect wanted a translucent coating for the exterior cladding boards, the normal maintenance interval of which is usually 3–4 years. However, Siparila found a coating that pleased the architect's eye, and it had a 10-year warranty. That was one of the decisive factors – the exterior cladding lasts for a long time looking clean, and its maintenance doesn't cause unnecessary disturbance to the residents", Herold continues.

Responsibility also plays a significant role in Feenix, and the ecological benefits brought by the wood as a building material are substantial. Tapiola is known as a neighborhood close to nature, where ecology and sustainable development are essential perspectives. In the design and implementation of Feenix, responsibility has influenced the choices across the board – and when it comes to such a large project, these choices have a noticeable effect.

"Feenix is ​​a massive entity, so the amount of exterior cladding panels needed for it is impressive. There are about 90,000 running meters of panels and 5,000 running meters of window boards – a total of 300 cubic meters of wood. This quantity binds approximately 225,000 kg of carbon dioxide. It would take a long time to reach the same figures by making single-family houses and small house areas", Herold illustrates.

With Siparila, you will find the best solution for every site

Herold was already familiar with Siparila, so he had no doubts about the quality of the products or the service.

"In our company MaxBuild Oy, since 2014, we have used the Siparila TOPCOAT system for all the exterior cladding of the wooden houses we have built, about ten projects. We have received excellent quality from Siparila, and that's why we have chosen the same products again."

"The cooperation with Siparila has also been functional, and I feel that we have always received what we needed. They have confronted us and solved problems together with us", Herold continues.

"Often, good service gets personified, and in this case, by Siparila's sales director Olli Prättälä. Cooperation with him has been great: he is extremely professional and tells directly how any product works on the site and which products are the best suitable. He pursues not only the interests of Siparila but also the client. We need to be able to trust the supplier."

The model apartment has already received excellent feedback

Currently, facade work is underway in Feenix for the first two housing companies, Tulilintu and Aurinkosiipi. Their estimated completion date is spring 2023, and the construction of the third house, Kultahöyhen, will continue until spring 2024.

However, in September 2022, a model apartment was already completed, and customers can now visit it and see Siparila's products as part of the whole.

"Customers have given many compliments about the balcony paneling – for us of making a good choice as a builder, and for Siparila about panels' appearance and quality. In general, customers like the overall solution. They have given special praise for the fact that the panels are installed in parallel and that attention has been paid to the details", Herold mentions.

Want to hear more about Siparila's façade solutions?

Contact Olli Prättälä:
044 333 4617
olli.prattala@siparila.fi

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For more information on Tapiola Feenix: www.tapiolanfeenix.fi/

Building
Tapiolan Feenix

Year built
2023

Builder
Jealha Oy

Products used:
TOPCOAT® exterior cladding panel

Category
Exterior cladding