YIT and the Central Finland Student Housing Foundation (Koas) have agreed on the construction of an apartment building for students in the new Tourulan Pajala residential area in Jyväskylä. The total value of the contract is approximately EUR 11 million, which will be entered in the order book of the third quarter of the year.

The seven-storey building will have 121 apartments, sauna facilities and a lounge. The contract encompasses about 4,500 floor square metres. The construction will start in September 2023 and the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The construction of the underground parking facility for the entire block will start at the same time, and it will be built in sections alongside the other parts of the block. A shared courtyard will be prepared on top of the parking facility.

The apartment building will meet the requirements of energy class A and the property will have solar panels. Other sustainability solutions include carbon negative ceiling boards in the communal areas. The boiler in the heat distribution room is used to smooth out spikes in consumption.

The property is the first project to be built in the new Tourulan Pajala town plan area and is located in a historical industrial setting in the heart of Jyväskylä. Tourulan Pajala will form a new urban centre with both residential and commercial properties planned in the area. The overall design and especially the brick elements of the property pay homage to the architecture and characteristics of the adjoining, historically significant State Rifle Factory. The area surrounding the State Rifle Factory features nationally valuable architecture and history.

“The new project will start the construction of a new residential area in Jyväskylä. We’ve proud to be invited to build the very first homes in Pajala. The area has been developed in fruitful cooperation with the City of Jyväskylä and Jykia. Designed in the spirit of the historical industrial setting, the new, modern residential and business area of Pajala will become an innovative, eco-smart neighbourhood with a central location in Tourula in the heart of Jyväskylä. The courtyard of the first apartment building to be built in the area will feature a meadow that will also retain stormwater. We prepared a design-phase, integrated lifecycle estimate for the project to help guide the design and structural solutions. We’ve implemented many successful projects for Koas and it’s a pleasure to continue our long-term, productive cooperation with them,” said Area Manager Marjaana Nissilä-Ryytty from YIT.

“As the owner of the area included in the Tourulankulma town plan development contest, Jykia is extremely pleased to witness the start of the construction and development of the area,” said Seija Takanen, CEO of Jykia.

“The location of Tourulankulma between the city centre and Kangas offers excellent opportunities for hybrid construction. The development of the area will start with residential buildings, later to be supplemented with the construction of workplaces. We are strongly involved in the development of workplace construction in the area. We have enjoyed our cooperation with YIT and the City of Jyväskylä and we’ll soon be able to see the fruits of our labour,” said Takanen.

“The local detailed plan for Pajala in Tourula was approved by Jyväskylä City Council in May. We’re happy to see that the implementation of the collaboratively planned area will start soon. Students will have new housing with an excellent location in Jyväskylä. This is also great news for the construction sector and vitality of the city,” said Leena Rossi, Head of Urban Planning and Land Use at the City of Jyväskylä.

“Koas is looking forward to building such sought-after student housing in the city centre,” says Matti Tanskanen, Managing Director of Koas. “The students will also appreciate the sustainable lifecycle approach of the design as well as the top energy class rating of the building. The building will be called Koas Tourula,” revealed Tanskanen.