The building site is located in Vuosaari, the most eastern suburb of Helsinki in Finland. The site is characterized by the new artificial canal and its circular pool, which creates the new focus for the architectural composition of the area. The building site is located on the edge of the built-up area, from the other side it faces the almost untouched virgin landscape dominated by dark fir forest.
The program consists of modest sized rental housing units which take in long vistas along the canal and towards the forest. In section the building is terraced in order to create a light atmosphere and to enrich the housing typology. The outdoor balconies playing an important role in the whole design. Some of the flats occupy two balconies looking into different directions and lighting conditions. On the Northern facade the most characterizing feature is the chess-like composition by cantilevered balconies and the entrance areas.
The visual trick in order to obscure the scale has been created by composing four different balconies into one huge unit. Each of these elements has been treated with vibrant colours giving a different identity for each of them. Inside the boxes the colours range from strong reds and purples into more diffused greens. The entrance areas with their canopies mimic the balcony elements completing the chess-like composition. The rest of the facade has been treated calmly by white plastering and quite rigid window openings. The inner elevation maximizes the light by using different whites and corrugated aluminum panels.