Finnish construction company SRV has been selected to develop the wide-ranging Garden Helsinki complex, which will include a new multi-purpose arena.
SRV agreed the deal with Projekti GH Oy, which is overseeing the development. The project will also include a hotel, offices, a car park and residential buildings. It will be located in the Töölö area of Helsinki.
SRV also built the Nokia Arena in the Finnish city of Tampere. The company will decide on the implementation phase for the Garden Helsinki project once the development phase has been completed.
The development phase will include working with Projekti GH Oy on the site’s functionality, costs, timetable and technical constraints. The construction for the entire complex is estimated to cost around €800m (£671m/$834m), and it is hoped that work can begin in the spring of 2026.
Garden Helsinki is a privately funded real estate development project that intends to house the “world’s most modern event arena”. The project was launched by Finnish ice hockey club Helsingin IFK.
The arena will have a capacity of around 19,000 and is set to be built almost entirely underground. The developers believe this will enable lighter buildings to be constructed on the ground. The old Helsinki Ice Hall will be incorporated into the design of the arena.
Saku Sipola, president and chief executive of SRV, said: “We are delighted to work with Project GH Oy and the City of Helsinki to develop a new event hub in Töölö. We will bring our diverse experience in similar arena projects in Tampere and Turku.
“Nokia Arena, developed jointly by the City of Tampere and SRV, includes offices, hotel and apartments and has generated a sense of vitality and substantial economic activity in the city. It has also been shown to support the City of Tampere’s strategy and image as an international event city. We believe that Garden Helsinki will provide Helsinki with a similarly significant appeal, stimulation and competitiveness as a city of sports, culture and major events.”
Risto Seppo, head of development at Projekti GH, added: “I am sure that SRV’s construction professionals and expert designers can work effectively with the strong Garden Helsinki team to develop the project into more than just an ambitious plan, and our work will lead to the implementation of the Garden Helsinki project.
“Construction companies are naturally interested in large projects like this one. However, SRV’s collaborative approach and experience in arena construction were important factors when selecting a developer partner.”
In October, SRV was awarded a contract to build a new multi-purpose venue in the Finnish city of Hyvinkää. Construction is expected to commence in the spring.
