Kuningatarranta
Having successfully designed the adjacent Regatta Suites project, we were asked to also help in the development of the Kuningatarvuori area. Where the previous project flanked the Hanko yacht harbours eastern side Kuningatarvuori forms its western flank.
Kuningatarvuori is the southernmost promontory of mainland Finland. From it you have unhindered views onto the rugged outer archipelago with its beautiful red granite islands. As opposed to the largely unspoiled nature on the easter side of the harbour the western side is mostly flat landfill, with only the remaining parts of the actual Kuningatarvuori hill forming a beautiful granite/pine woods backdrop. An additional challenge is the proximity of the commercial harbour just northwest of Kuningatarvuori.
The project consists of four distinct parts: Kuningatarvuori, Kuningatarranta, Kuningatarniemi and Kuningatarsatama (which is yet to be completed).
The main challenge with Kuningatarranta was to form a giant sound dampening “wall” against the commercial harbour while simultaneously managing to design an aesthetically pleasing four storey apartment building that would not seem too large for the small-scale Hanko seafront.
The solution was to divide the buildings´ mass into three separate segments, connected to each other via a transparent section. To further lessen the apparent size of the exceptionally long building, the segments are zigzagged so that when on site, only two segments can be seen at a time. The final touch was achieved by adding a “fifth floor” via large dormers that vertically cut the otherwise mostly horizontal architecture. Due to the very exposed site, all façade materials were chosen from durable weatherproof options such as granite, slate, stained concrete, aluminium etc. The inner façade protected by the terraces is painted wood panelling, and the further protected balcony ceilings are heat treated aspen. The gables and the whole northern façade are closed structures forming parts of the sound dampening “wall”, the other parts being a 4m high granite sound dampening wall and a row of pine trees along the northern edge of the site.
The building, which will become the southernmost apartment building in mainland Finland, has 39 two-bedroom apartments and 5 two-level penthouse apartments with 3-4 bedrooms. All apartments open onto spacious balconies/terraces facing south.
