Harjukylä, Kalevankatu 1, old town hall

Premises program 2021-2030

The Riihimäki town hall has been empty since the end of 2016. Kaupungintalo is a C-portfolio office space according to the Riihimäki office space program 2021-2030. The buildings in the C-portfolio of the premises program are used up, sold, dismantled or refined according to plan. In connection with zoning, the cultural-historical values ​​of the buildings must be examined. The city government has decided on the approval of the office space program on 29.3.2021 March 112 § XNUMX. In connection with the approval decision, the city government decided with regard to the city hall that, in connection with the implementation of the office space program, the utilization of the old part of the city hall as alternatives to the guidelines of the office space program will be investigated. Investigation is underway.
Minutes of the City Council on March 29.3.2021, XNUMX.

The town hall has also been in the previous office space program for the years 2017-2021 (Regulation 23.1.2017 § 5).

The history and cultural-historical values ​​of the town hall

The site is part of a multi-layered complex of administrative and school buildings built in the 1940s and 1960s along Kalevankatu, which has been defined as a provincially valuable built cultural environment (Hämeen liitto, 2019).

The old part of the town hall was built in 1948 according to the plans of the architect Veli Valorinna as the city's library and office building. The town hall was expanded in 1973 by building an extension part attached to the old part. Both phases are architecturally representative of their construction period, both in terms of facades and interiors. Between the old part and the extension part, there is a clear transition from in-place construction to prefabricated construction, as well as a reduction in detailed design. Also in the interior spaces, the change of space arrangement typical of office construction from the traditional one-corridor system to the two-corridor system of the 1960s-70s can be seen.

The facades of the old part are simple in composition, but the construction has been of high-quality craftsmanship, and the high-quality material choices and detailing used create dignity. The architecture of the main facade has mostly been well preserved. The most significant of the interior spaces are the former library space on the east end of the first floor (later office space and cafeteria) and the stairs leading to the office corridor, the council meeting hall on the third floor and the former town hall board room, as well as stairwells and office corridors. The premises have mainly preserved the original space arrangement and fixed interior design. In the council's meeting hall and the town board's room, as well as partially in other premises, the original furniture designed for those premises and produced locally in Riihimäki, as well as the original lamps, have been preserved.

The even grid-like division of the glass facade of the extension embodies the thinking of the 1970s emphasizing equality, where no space is outwardly distinguished from the others. The most important interior spaces are the lobby on the top floor and the rooms of the city council and the mayor. The hierarchy of the interior spaces was reflected in the material choices, when valuable spaces originally had textile carpets and partition walls imitating wood veneer, and other office spaces had plastic carpets and fabric-covered partitions.

A building history survey has been prepared for the town hall (Vahanen 2020), which you can find on the website under survey material.

The condition of the building

A risk assessment has been drawn up for the site (Vahanen, 2020), which you can find on the website under the section "Research material".

According to the risk assessment, the old part of the town hall is mostly in good condition thanks to the extensive renovation carried out in 2003. There are some details in the structures of the old part, the effect of which on indoor air quality is recommended to be investigated, as well as the functioning of the ventilation.

According to the risk assessment, the extension part of the town hall requires major repairs, such as the renewal of the facade, water roof, false ceilings and the IV system. Among other things, deficiencies have been found in the watertightness of the glass facade and the drying ability of the structure. The extension part of the town hall is to be demolished.

The purpose of the site plan change

It is appropriate to change the site plan of the area. It is necessary to change the current purpose of the area according to the site plan (block area of ​​public buildings) to be more flexible. With the site plan change, the cultural and historical values ​​of the town hall are taken into account and the possibilities of supplementary construction in the area of ​​the plan change are explored.

Clearing material related to the station plan change

Building history survey, Riihimäki town hall, Vahanen, 2020
Risk assessment, Riihimäki town hall, Vahanen, 2020

Environmental statement, area of ​​the old town hall, Environmental planning Enviro Oy, 2021

Tree condition assessment, old town hall and Puhaltajastatas, Puidenhoitajien Oy, 2020