first look at meander house by steven holl architects

The Meander House by Steven Holl Architects welcomed its grand opening during Helsinki Design Week after 18 years in the making. Located in the Finnish cultural district Taka-Töölö along Taivallahti Bay, the 180-meter-long residential complex evokes a sinuous wooden ship inside a glass bottle, shaping void spaces and maximizing views and sunlight for 115 apartments. Varying in height from two to seven floors, the Meander House is carried by load-bearing perpendicular concrete walls and glazed with horizontally hinged glass panels. ‘The cross walls are like a musical score cutting through the building, exposed,’ Holl shared at the opening. It also rises in section towards the sea horizon, introducing openness to the historic Taivallahti Barracks.

image © Kuvatoimisto Kuvio Oy

marking the studio’s return to helsinki after three decades

Steven Holl Architects achieved international acclaim with the winning design for the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki, completed in 1997. The Meander House marks the studio‘s return to the city upon winning the competition for an apartment building in 2006, collaborating first with local Finnish architect Vesa Honkonen and then with architect Pentti Kareoja from ARK-house. ‘The void space that’s formed by the shape of this building is equivalent to the void space and shape of Kiasma,’ Holl adds. In 2021, Finnish developer Newil&Bau acquired the project, enhancing the design by adding crafted yard spaces, curated interiors, and resident-centric services. Steven Holl and Newil&Bau completed the Meander House in 2024 after 18 years of dedication.

image © Kuvatoimisto Kuvio Oy

a sinuous, glazed complex imbued with light and art

The unique, varying quality of Nordic light characterizes the atmosphere of each apartment inside the Meander House. All units open onto the landscape through high windows and private balconies with views to the Baltic Sea horizon or Hesperianpuisto Park. At night, the building glows like an ice sculpture. Among the shared spaces for residents are saunas, a yoga studio, a wine cellar, common leisure and coworking spaces, and a 12-seat cinema.

Art and architecture are synthesized through the work of Finnish visual artist Fanny Tavastila, who created unique silkscreen prints for each resident’s home as well as the shared living spaces of Meander House. Representing a middle ground between abstract and representational graphic arts, the work of art is comprised of three layers of color and created one by one using silk screen printing, thus making each unique. Complementing her artistic touch, Steven Holl introduced a statement hue to the complex: ‘The blue touch evokes the sky and references New England porches. I’ve used this before, and it somehow lifts the building. But in New England, it’s also a spiritual thing; it wards off evil spirits on the porch.’

steven holl completes meander house as a low-impact design

The building is imbued with the experiential dimension of material and detail. Custom door handles, light fixtures, hand-woven wool carpets, and cast dog bowls echo the curved form. All wood is locally sourced, including sustainably harvested Finnish spruce for the exterior cladding, balconies, and windows. Sixteen geothermal wells heat and cool the building, with radiant floors throughout the units, minimizing overall lifecycle emissions. Additionally, each unit receives natural light and ventilation, while an extensive green roof and solar array provide performance benefits and a sloping scenic footpath. Gardens shaped by the building voids incorporate rainwater collecting systems and diverse plantings, including native wild species. During use, Meander’s carbon footprint is approximately 50% of a conventional apartment building and is designed to last for more than 100 years before it requires refurbishment.

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