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Imatra GIS: Electricity Substation and Power Pylons

Tuomas Kivinen's Imatra GIS project, comprising an electricity substation building and designer power pylons, harmoniously blends with the historical and industrial context of Imatrankoski rapids. The design draws inspiration from the area's landscape and industrial architecture, aiming to create a new historical layer while seamlessly integrating with the surroundings.

The substation building features a concrete frame and double-skin facades, with hand-made long bricks laid in a zig-zag profile, supported by a steel frame. The transmission structures are made of triangular welded steel profiles, utilizing a combination of hand-made and industrial materials to achieve a balanced, timeless design.

The project's floor area spans 965 sqm, with the substation building measuring 44.1m x 13.2m x 8.1m. Imatra electricity substation and the transmission structures are accessible to the public, with the substation being unmanned and mainly remote-controlled from a central off-site control room.

Completed in 2020, the Imatra GIS project is located in Imatra, Finland, and was realized through extensive site visits and research on the area's history, architecture, and industry. The design process involved overcoming architectural challenges to ensure visual and structural coherence with the surrounding landscape.

Tuomas Kivinen, an architect and partner at Virkkunen & Co Architects, led the design, emphasizing the importance of context and landscape in creating architecture appropriate for its location. His previous work, such as the Kalasatama Electricity Substation in Helsinki, has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Finnish Metal Facade of the Year 2019 prize.

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