[PROJECTS] Loviisa Flagship

Housing association Loviisa’s Lippulaiva (Flagship) in southern Finland is a unique apartment building project that represents a new way of constructing wooden apartment buildings. Pre-fabricated spatial elements were assembled on-site in Loviisa into a stylish apartment building. All 35 apartments in the building, completed in 2023, offer unobstructed views of the sea, and the overall design is crowned by glazed balconies with stunning maritime views. Lumon supplied silk-printed balcony railings and glass, as well as blinds.

“The climate here is quite demanding. Winds come from the sea, and it often rains almost horizontally. One thought was to create a glass façade facing the sea, making it technically very reliable,” explains the project’s architect and chief designer Antti Heikkilä regarding the glazing of the balconies. “We wanted a balcony façade from a single provider, and Lumon had a good comprehensive solution for this. We didn’t have to seek different contractors for the railings, glazing, and blinds,” Heikkilä continues.

High-quality glazing solutions that respect the building’s stylish overall appearance and maritime environment were chosen for the project.

Silk-printed glass enhances the building’s appearance

In the flagship, balcony glazing was finished using silk printing technology, allowing for balcony glazing in various colors, patterns, and shapes. The glazing of the flagship is now adorned with flagship patterns that make the building’s appearance unique and recognizable.

“We have always aimed to give each project its own identity, and here it’s a ship. We created a logo for the housing company featuring the flagship, which is reflected in these silk-printed patterns on the balcony glass. From a distance, it looks like a lace-like pattern, but when sitting on the balcony, the ship is clearly visible,” Heikkilä describes. This way, the recognizable logo of the housing company became part of the project’s architecture.

Silk-printed glass adds personality and offers diverse architectural possibilities. “This silk printing technology is here to stay. It allows for very versatile solutions,” Heikkilä continues.

High-quality blinds complete the façade

Lippulaiva (Flagship) is a stylish project where high-quality materials are also visible in the finishing touches. The balconies were equipped with balcony and railing blinds that fit perfectly with the building’s architecture, creating a harmonious façade.

“A unified blind system is much better than having everyone rigging their own solutions. You often see makeshift solutions starting from bamboo mats. This high-quality, unified blind system in all apartments brings consistency to the facade since the balcony facade is quite a visible part of this building’s architecture,” Heikkilä explains.

In addition to the facade’s uniformity, the blinds offer other advantages. “When blinds are installed all at once in all apartments during the glazing process, we can provide a cost-effective solution for the client. Additionally, the blinds offer visual and sun protection for the balconies, enhancing residents’ comfort,” adds Tuomas Vihertö, who served as the project manager for Lumon.

Strong collaboration in project design ensures a successful outcome

Lumon participated in the project planning in collaboration with the architect and contractor. This ensured that the balcony solutions not only met technical requirements but also supported the building’s architectural integrity.

“We got involved in the planning of the flagship project well in advance, so we could influence the solutions structurally and steer them towards cost-effectiveness—such as by using silk printing technology for the balcony and railing glass instead of individual separate parts,” Vihertö states.

The project’s architect is also pleased with the smoothness of the project and the successful collaboration. “The cooperation with Lumon went excellently; we are very satisfied. The delivery arrived on time, and there haven’t been many complaints,” Heikkilä describes.

“Lumon is a domestic and ecological total solution provider. They have a high-quality system. In these times, when construction faces various challenges, it’s nice to have a reliable partner, from whom you can confidently order materials. I can warmly recommend Lumon. Especially for this kind of project, where various products are needed for balconies, they are an excellent partner,” Heikkilä summarizes.