Flooranaukio housing | HEIKKINEN KOMONEN

Arabia porcelain factory began production in October 1874 on a site of an old villa having an identical name at the Vanhankaupungin lahti (Old City Bay) where Helsinki was originally founded in 1550 by Gustaf Vasa. Soon the whole area was called according to the factory. At the beginning the workshop of 110 people grew to the biggest porcelain factory in Europe and after the war in 50’ies it employed more than 2000 workers. Arabia's factories are part of the Finnish industrial history, but as well they have been creating the success story of the Finnish Design. Arabia has employed in different times renowned designers like Kaj Franck, Birger Kaipiainen, Rut Bryk and Kristiina Riska. Arabia’s products have won awards at World Expos in Paris and Milan Triennials. The city planners aim at Arabianranta was to integrate art to architecture. With our housing project at the Flooranaukio (Square of Flora) we wanted to honor the industrial history of the area and celebrate the still active Arabia factories. The on-site made red brick masonry and systematic fenestration towards the streets refer to the bold rationalism of the old surrounding industrial structures. Contrast to this more ascetic front the courtyard facade undulates in free-form and white color bringing light and variation to this relatively deep housing block. Courtyard facade has also a large repetitive motif which is copied from a decorative pattern on an Arabia vase from 1930’ies. While being at the Square of Flora the image present, of course, a bouquet of flowers. Ornament has been implemented with waste porcelain resulting from Arabia’s production processes at the concrete element factory where the façades and balconies have been prefabricated. The surface of these elements is white concrete made of white limestone while under the surface the basic aggregate is gray granite. Broken pieces of porcelain are glued according to the flower patterns on a special membrane spread over the mould table. After that the concrete layers are cast and finally the pattern is washed visible out of the white surface. The color palette follows the kitchenware currently in production at Arabia, from colorful Paradise and Moomin- series to Teema’s and Koko’s monochrome yellow, dark brown and blue-green items. Household porcelain is glazed on both sides, so the ornament will glitter strongly in sunshine.