Shopping Center REDI - Normek - Let's build it together

As a result of successful bidding competition, Normek Oy received an order from the SRV for the complete manufacturing, supply and installation of steel structures for Shopping Center REDI located in Kalasatama, Helsinki. The steel structure contract was started in December 2015 and completed in June 2017 in accordance with the schedule. A successful project was guaranteed by efficient teamwork with both – Normek’s own group and with other 10,000 employees working all in the same construction area. Normek Oy is proud of its project – and not just – it’s the largest steel delivery in the company’s history ever since. The project manager was Arto Sopanen.

REDI’s building complex will be completely finished at the end of year 2018. Following to Nordic design – it comprises a total of 7 residential houses and an impressive shopping centre building. The shopping centre offers a total of 60,000 m² of retail space for both small and large chains in 5 different floors. The tallest 35-story Lighthouse building will rise to 132 meters when completed – winning the honourable award of the highest residential building in Finland.

REDI is one of Finland’s largest running construction projects – Normek Oy is honoured to be involved in this case delivering and installing a massive steel frame and other necessary steel structures for the shopping centre. The total amount of steel delivered increased up to 14.5 million kilograms. Most of the parts were manufactured at Normek Finland’s production plants – Naarajärvi, Oulu and Alavus – only few parts were delivered by subcontractors. The pillars and sills sizes were larger than normal in dimensions in this case. One big challenge for the logistics was that huge amount of shipping had to be transported through Finland with tight schedule. “Logistics needed to schedule delivery’s to 15 minutes precision to enter the landing places on site. Metro line created challenges in logistics, because the project could not interfere with busy metro traffic at all times, ” says Lasse Vepsä, construction engineer of Normek Oy.

The foundation work for REDI required quarrying 900 000 solid cubic metre of bedrock within 3 hectares area, to make the steel frames mounted to rise to the heights. The first pillar was installed in December 2015 and the frame constructions were completed in June 2017 – with labour input of 5 experts of Normek personnel executives and 30 subcontractors. Normek remained on the schedule as planned, although they had to tighten the pace of work in some time periods. Accurately keeping up with the timetable and working together with the customer, the SRV-Rakennus and the other REDI project partners were main factors to the project’s success.

According to the project manager Arto Sopanen, the technical side succeeded excellent in polishing the pillars. REDI’s steel frame pillars are made of spiral-welded pipe sills, which were sanded at Normek’s production factories record-breaking smooth. This achievement means a lot for architects and customer because the weld seams are invisible inside the building.

All roads leads literally to REDI – with an excellent location with good traffic connections REDI offers a great place to live or spend time in the idyllic scenery of the Baltic Sea with versatile hobbies, shopping and other services. Kalasatama Metro Station is located on the 3rd floor of the shopping centre allowing access to the Helsinki city centre in just 9 minutes and the airport in half an hour. Normek also constructed and installed the steel structures of this metro substructure. In addition, the underground parking garage built in connection with the shopping centre will provide parking space for over 2000 cars.

Shopping Center REDI contract is Normek’s largest delivery in the company history – a unique complex that was made possible by the pillars installed by Normek. We want to thank the design office Sweco for efficient cooperation. Numerous planning meetings together helped to complete the entirety. The customer has given positive feedback for the project team – Normek’s top executives succeeded once again.